Liukin, Johnson Share Gymnastics Glory, Special Bond

Beijing, China — An hour and a half after Shawn Johnson stood on the awards podium for the second time this week, she was paraded through the Olympic Green in the back seat of a golf cart, rose bouquet in hand, wearing her newest silver medal and chatting with the president of USA Gymnastics while on her way to an interview.

You’d think she is the new princess of the gymnastics world.

And she is. The spotlight’s hers.

She’ll just be sharing it with Nastia Liukin.

The two gave the U.S. its first sweep of women’s all-around gold and silver in the Olympics.

Liukin gold. Johnson silver.

Johnson, 16, the West Des Moines student who has been called a firecracker in the gym, a rock-solid competitor, had just a slight look of letdown on her face as she worked a gauntlet of reporters minutes after the medal ceremony.

“Nastia deserves the gold,” she said, eyes moist. “She has worked really hard.”

Johnson then put on her translation headset and fielded questions with dignity and poise at a formal news conference.

“I deserved what I got today,” she said.

She emphasized the 1-2 punch by the U.S. women, a remarkable feat for a country that had won only three previous Olympic all-around medals.

“We proved to the world that we are really strong,” she said. “We did make mistakes in the team final and China deserved the gold. We came back today and showed the world we are as strong as we said we were.”

Johnson’s powerful presence took her to the world all-around championship last year in Stuttgart, Germany.

The Olympic judges, however, appreciated elegance more than power today in the National Indoor Stadium, rewarding the sleek, artistic Liukin with 63.325 points to 62.725 for Johnson.

“Elegance prevails!” was the headline on a news release from the International Gymnastics Federation.

Bruno Grandi, federation president, has said he will seek rules changes that would emphasize artistry over difficulty.

“I like gymnastics to remain artistic,” he said in a New York Times article last week.

Liukin’s balletic routine on floor exercise, the final rotation, secured her gold medal. She held a lead of 0.600 over Johnson after high scores for her marathon bars routine and limber work on the balance beam.

Johnson, the final competitor, needed a 16.130 floor exercise score to overtake Liukin. She was capable of that mark. She scored 16.200 twice in June, in the national championships and Olympic Trials.

Her coach, Liang Chow, just to be safe, had her add a layout full 1 1/2 on a tumbling pass to earn a 0.2 bonus.

Johnson hit a solid routine, but received only a 15.525.

Four judges scored Liukin higher than Johnson, one scored Johnson higher, and one had them even.

“I gave my heart and soul to everything,” Johnson said. “There wasn’t any more I could give.”

Johnson will have two more medal chances, in Sunday’s floor exercise final and Tuesday’s balance beam final.

Johnson’s day had an unusual ending — she had to go back to the Olympic Village room she shares with Liukin, who had just trampled her gold-medal dreams.

It could have been awkward.

But not for these two.

They’re a study in contrasts, Liukin the Russian-born daughter of former gymnastics champions, Johnson the Midwestern girl from a working-class background.

But they’re friends, united by their gymnastics ambitions and by the confinements of their teen idol status.

“It’s never been awkward for us,” Liukin said. “We’ve pushed each other to the limit. We’ve both wanted it so bad. We’re better and stronger gymnasts because of each other.”

She said that the night before the competition, she and Johnson looked at a calendar they had made and said, "Can you believe this? Tomorrow’s the day.”

The two didn’t converse during competition, but they communicated nonetheless.

“Me and her have this special thing,” Liukin said. “We look each other in the eyes and have this little head nod. A little thing like that means more than anything you could say.”

The American sweep was a great ending, Liukin said.

“And we both still have a few more finals to come.”