On May 9, the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton North Raleigh was bustling with sports celebrities and fans, all of whom had come for the induction of eight renowned North Carolina sports figures into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
The inductees join a panoply of sports champions, 281 in all, who have brought fame and honor to North Carolina and continue to do so. Information and mementoes from their careers are on display in the North Carolina Museum of History at 5 East Edenton Street in Raleigh.
Kristi Overton Johnson, a competitive water-skier for more than 30 years, captured state, regional and national records before turning pro at age of 13, becoming the World Record Holder in 1992. Leaving competitive skiing for five years to undergo 10 major surgeries to repair a congenital hip deformity, she stunned the skiing world by returning as a competitor in 2008 in the U.S. Masters. Kristi is far from being a senior citizen, however her expertise has earned her an early induction into this stellar group.