Johnson Nabs Gold on Beam

Shawn Johnson finally got her Olympic gold medal in the last event of the women's gymnastics competition today on the balance beam. When her routine, chock-full of difficult tricks, earned a 16.225, Johnson's grin was a thousand times wider than the 4-inch-wide beam she had just conquered. 

The world champ, who already had a silver behind fellow American Nastia Liukin in the all-around and a silver on the floor in the team event, edged Liukin, who finished with a gold, three silvers, and a bronze. Cheng Fei of China took the bronze, giving China six women's medals, two behind the US. (More 2008 Beijing Olympics stories.)