Shawn Johnson (born January 19, 1992 in Des Moines,
Iowa) is an American gymnast. She is the 2007 World
All-Around Champion, as well as the 2007 U.S.
National All-Around Champion.
Shawn Johnson qualified to Junior International
Elite status on her first attempt. She first
attracted widespread attention at the 2005 US
Classic, where she placed 3rd in the junior
division.
At the 2005 National Championships, Johnson
struggled the first day, falling from beam and
floor, and eventually placed tenth. By 2006, Johnson
was ready with new skills, including a jaegar on
bars, a rarely-seen tucked full in beam dismount,
and an even rarer tucked double-twisting double back
flip on the floor exercise. She won 2006 U.S. Junior
National All-Around Champion with a score higher
than any senior's that year.
In 2007, Johnson entered the senior division, and
continued to showcase new skills, including a
laidout double twisting double dismount off bars.
She competed at the 2007 Tyson American Cup where
she won the All-Around, beating out all other
American U.S. Senior Elites. She was also very
successful in the 2007 Pan American Games, winning
four gold medals (in the team finals, the individual
all-around, and the balance beam and uneven bar
finals) and one silver in the floor exercise final,
making her the most successful gymnast of the games.
She won the 2007 Visa National Championships,
beating two-time National Champion Nastia Liukin
(who was returning from an ankle injury) by more
than 5 points, and Shayla Worley (who was also
recovering from injury) by more than 3 points. She
represented the U.S. in the World Championships,
with teammates Liukin, Worley, Alicia Sacramone,
Ivana Hong, and Samantha Peszek. The team placed
first with 184.400 points, 0.95 point ahead of the
silver medal Chinese team. Johnson competed on all
four apparatus for the team competition. She went on
to win the all-around competition with a score of
61.875. Now this world champion is upgrading even
more for 2008. She plans to debut the Amanar Vault
[2 1/2 twisting yurchenko], a reverse hect
[tkatchev] on bars, a round off whip, triple twist
on floor, and a front pike on beam.
Shawn Johnson is sponsored by GK-Elite Sportswear.
Johnson is a contender for the United States women's
gymnastic team at the Beijing Olympics. She attends
Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa.
