A 16 year old threat to gymnasts

American Shawn Johnson, all of 16, is likely to pose the biggest threat to the Chinese in women’s gymnastics

WASHINGTON: Reigning world all-around gymnastics champion Shawn Johnson, a tiny 16-year-old bundle of high-bouncing energy, will lead a world champion American squad seeking gold at the Beijing Olympics.

Johnson’s coaches, former top Chinese gymnasts Liang Chow and Liwen Zhuang, may have developed the superstar that breaks the hearts of a new Chinese generation of formidable gymnasts.

“We’re all going to be competing at the highest levels. I don’t think anybody is going to beat us,” Johnson said. “China is going to be our biggest competition. Knowing they will be in front of their home fans gives us more pressure but we will be motivated to work extra hard to beat them.”

Johnson’s home gymnasium in Iowa was flooded in June, forcing her to shift her daily workouts of four to six hours to a nearby college.

But Johnson shrugged off the distraction to win last month’s Olympic Trials and ensure herself a place in Beijing. “It’s hard to control the distractions but it comes with the sport,” Johnson said.

“It feels amazing to finally have a dream be a reality. It’s what I’ve been hoping for like forever.” It has been a long journey to Beijing for a girl who did not even have the Olympic dream when she first began taking gymnastics classes.

“I never started gymnastics thinking I wanted to be an Olympian,” Johnson said. “I don’t think anyone knows what they are getting into. For me, it was the thrill of the ride.”

Johnson credits Zhaung and Chow with bringing out the best in her skills, pushing her until her program features some of the moves with the greatest degree of difficulty in the sport.  “They are the main reason I’ve gotten here. They’re the most amazing coaches. I have learned so much from them,” Johnson said. “Our goal is just to work to be the best, show the world what I can do and defend my title.” Johnson’s power and the height on her moves give her an edge on rivals if she can complete clean routines based upon the difficulty of her moves, notably a Yurchenko vault with 2 1/2 twists that only a handful of girls have mastered.

“It has to do with my coaches and the hard work I’ve put in. I worked hard to get a little higher and a little harder every time. I was always just trying to get myself to set the bar a little higher,” Johnson said. Outside of the gym, Johnson tries to have a normal life with her focus on her pet cats and a dog.

“I try to work in time for normal teenage stuff. I don’t let this completely consume me, take me away from being who I am,” Johnson said.

“My coach has been understanding that I  need a normal life. He’s never asked for anything different.” One of Johnson’s top rivals for gold could be US teammate Nastia Liukin, the 18-year-old Russian-born daughter of 1988 Olympic champion Valeri Liukin — who coaches Nastia — and 1987 world rhythmic gymnastics champion Anna Kotchneva. Liukin is confident the US women can control their own medal fate with solid performances at the Olympics. “We are the team to beat. We earned that winning the worlds in 2007,” Liukin said. “It adds a little more  pressure but we’re working five times harder to win the gold medal at Beijing.  “If we hit our routines the way we can, we know we will come out on top.”