Johnson’s Gym Flooded: Coach Says Thanks for Help
6/13/2008

June 13-08 West Des Moines, Iowa   

With devastating floods ravaging Shawn Johnson’s home state of Iowa, the Floods of ’08 hit close to home for this reigning World Champion as her home gym, Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance in West Des Moines, is now under water.

Over 100 people turned out last night to help gym owners and Shawn’s coaches, Chow and Li, move the equipment to higher ground and sand bag in hopes of the rising flood waters not reaching the gym. However, by mid morning today it was under water.

Shawn’s coaches would like to thank everyone who has come out to help and show their support thus far. Friends, family, gymnasts and the West Des Moines community have turned out to help this Olympic coach and his Olympic hopeful who just returned earlier in the week after winning the Visa National Championships Boston.

Plans are under way to find alternative practice options for Shawn as she prepares for the upcoming Olympic Trials. But one thing is for certain, the competitive fire inside is burning even more brightly as not even Mother Nature can deter the focus that Shawn has on representing her country in Beijing.