Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 25, 2008 12:10:23 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Rookie Gymnast Vaults Her Rep

Posted Aug 18, 07 12:53 PM CDT in US,  Sports 

(Newser) – The USA Gymnastics team is rolling out a new megastar for Beijiing 2008: Shawn Johnson, a 4'10" 15-year-old who's been racking up gold medals at national and international championships even while finishing high school. But Johnson has only been on the national team for 10 months, and she's still getting used to being in the spotlight, the Washington Post reports.

"I guess I'm still not sure what it's like to be famous," says Johnson, who's currently posed to win the US nationals in San Jose after a flawless performance Thursday. Johnson's most difficult balancing act remains living up to the hype already surrounding her Olympic bid—scorekeepers are already referring to her as a team leader—and keeping up a social life at home in Des Moines.

Source Washington Post

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Critics Make Sport of Olympic Mascots

    Jul 23, 08 3:30 AM CDT
    Critics Make Sport of Olympic Mascots The troubled run-up to the Beijing Games hasn't spared the cartoon mascots, the Wall Street Journal reports. China's critics have already created mock characters for the five—like "GenGen Genocide"—and superstitious Chinese fear a link between the "witch dolls" and the disasters the country has suffered this year. The already hyper-commercialized "Fuwa," or good-luck dolls, are a fish, panda, Tibetan antelope, swallow and the Olympic flame. More »

  • Beijing Faces Glut of Hotel Rooms

    Jul 18, 08 12:55 PM CDT
    Beijing Faces Glut of Hotel Rooms Beijing’s newest construction binge may lead to a glut of rooms as hoteliers race to finish new properties before the Olympic Games begin in August, the Wall Street Journal reports. When the Games open, Beijing will have 50 five-star hotels, more than double the total of five years ago. While three-quarters of those rooms are booked, fewer than half the rooms at four-stars are reserved. More »

  • City Rebuilds Flooded Gym for Gymnast

    Jun 19, 08 11:31 AM CDT
    City Rebuilds Flooded Gym for Gymnast When storms inundated Shawn Johnson's hometown of West Des Moines, they also left a foot of water in her gym. But the 16-year-old couldn't use that as an excuse to take a break from workouts: The reigning world champion gymnast was preparing for this week’s Olympic trials, the Houston Chronicle reports. More »

  • NBC's Olympic Ad Sales Lag

    Jun 4, 08 2:19 PM CDT
    NBC's Olympic Ad Sales Lag With the Beijing Games just more than two months away, NBC is still well short of Olympics advertising sales goals, the New York Post reports. Though the network says sales are strong, sources say it's between $150 million and $300 million off, with pro-Tibet protests and the slow economy keeping advertisers on the sidelines ahead of the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies. More »

  • Torch Changes Keep Protesters Off Balance

    Apr 9, 08 4:24 PM CDT
    Torch Changes Keep Protesters Off Balance Throngs of pro- and anti-China demonstrators in San Francisco forced drastic changes in the Olympic torch's tour of the city, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Officials bused the flame and relay runners from the bayside opening ceremony miles across town; after heading west toward the Golden Gate Bridge, the convoy turned south and headed for the airport. More »

Shawn Johnson, right, is hugged by her coach, Liang Chow, left, after competing in the floor exercise at the U.S. gymnastics championships in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, August 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Marcio...   (Associated Press)
Shawn Johnson competes in the floor exercise at the U.S. gymnastics championships in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, August 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)   (Associated Press)
Shawn Johnson competes in the floor exercise at the U.S. gymnastics championships in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, August 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)   (Associated Press)
Shawn Johnson competes in the uneven bars during the US gymnastics championships in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 1)

Tags

2008 Beijing Olympics  • Olympic Games  • gymnastics  • gymnast  • Shawn Johnson


Loading...

Loading...

Today's Most Popular


Other Home Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »