It was a busy spring for 22-year-old Gea Johnson, a junior at Arizona State University.

For starters, Gea was this year's NCAA heptathlon champion, for which she trained upwards of five hours daily. Add to that her activities as a Primary teacher, 4.0 student and model, and she had a schedule that barely left her time to catch her breath.But she managed - somehow - to attain excellence in her varied pursuits through her focus and dedication, according to those close to her. It seems the only things Gea doesn't do well, according to her mother, Sally Johnson, is cook, sew or sing. But who has time for any of that, with only 24 hours in each day?

Gea is, however, working hard toward being her best in her many pursuits. She has put much effort into teaching her Star A class for the past two years while training for track and field's seven-event heptathlon. And her dedication in both arenas is reaping rewards. She captured a 277-point victory at this year's NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 30-31 in Durham, N.C.. And she has captured the hearts of the young children in her Primary class, according to Bishop Daniel Barker of Gea's Tempe 20th Ward, Tempe Arizona South Stake.

"Gea has been an exceptional teacher for more than two years, taking her kids to parks and providing parties and other events for them outside of the classroom," said Bishop Barker. "The girls come out of that class wanting to be just like her. She's a good influence, and she really enjoys it."

Gea said teaching Primary is "one of the things I enjoy doing most. I love it."

She also enjoys track and field, especially now that years of hard work culminated in a national championship.

"I have wanted to be an NCAA champion since I came to ASU," reflected Gea. "I was happy to win."

In winning the heptathlon - which includes the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin and 800 meters - crammed into two consecutive days - Gea scored 6,132 points, the best by a collegian this year and her personal best by three points. In the process, she set personal records in three of the seven events: tossing the javelin 147 feet, 5 inches; running the 800 in 2 minutes, 14.50 seconds; and clocking 24.24 seconds in the 200 meters.

Currently Gea is ranked second in the United States in the event, behind Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee. She competed June 12-13 at the TAC National Championships in Southern California, where she placed second to earn a spot on the U.S. team that will compete this summer at the Goodwill Games in Seattle.

Gea's recent success has been especially sweet because she endured two years of struggle where she doubted herself and her abilities. At that time, she nearly gave up the sport, but hung on and turned things around.

"Now I look back on those difficult two years and appreciate them," Gea said. "I am a better person and a better athlete for getting through the challenges. You can usually get something positive out of most anything."

Gea said she derives strength from the gospel and from family and friends. "Working at track and field helps me be a better person. I use the principles and teachings of the Church to help strengthen me, especially in hard times. You have faith and prayer, those things that help pull you through."

And she also has a great deal of determination. Her mother - who teaches Gea's Star A class when her daughter is traveling - started Gea, her two sisters and two brothers in sports early. Gea excelled at everything she did, earning honors as one of the country's top swimmers at age 10, and as a top high school athlete who played basketball, volleyball and ran track.

"Gea is very goal-oriented," noted her mother, Sally, with whom Gea lives in Tempe. "She puts a lot of pressure on herself. She has always been like that. She hates to lose in anything, and is a competitor who is very dedicated.

"Above all, she is a very good person. Besides being pretty, she is beautiful inside. She is always kind and considerate, and very humble. Despite her recognition, she has no conceit in her at all."

Both Sister Johnson and Bishop Barker said Gea is a good example of a Latter-day Saint who is respected for her values by her teammates and competitors.

"She keeps her standards and is a good representative of the Church," Bishop Barker praised. "She is a good person, and she is very easy to talk to."

Gea plans to work to make the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic teams, and to give the heptathlon her best shot. She has plenty of other options, having appeared as a model in about 20 magazines and received two Hollywood movie offers to date, which she declined because of strict NCAA eligibility rules.

Her major at ASU is communications, and with her 4.0 grade point average she likely will have opportunities in that field, as well.

"Everybody is blessed with unique talents and abilities," Gea said. "The talents of others are no less than mine. It's important to develop your talents and be the best you can be, and to be a good person at heart. That's what is most important - being a good person."