Lance Bergeson  The Des Moines Register June 22, 2008  DES MOINES

Nearly 25 years after winning Olympic gold in gymnastics and becoming America’s sweetheart, Mary Lou Retton sees even more greatness from West Des Moines’ Shawn Johnson.

“She truly is the No. 1 gymnast in the world. She could blow me out of the water,” said Retton, who was signing autographs at the Hy-Vee Triathlon on Saturday. “Some of my tumbling moves might hold up a little. She’s doing routines at a far higher level of difficulty.”

Retton, who attended the U.S. Olympic Trials on Friday night in Philadelphia, said the pressure on Johnson is greater than she experienced in 1984. Retton became a household name after the Olympics. The 16-year-old Johnson already is on several products, and the Beijing Games are seven weeks away.

“I didn’t have that high of an expectation. I didn’t have endorsements,” Retton said. “As long as she surrounds herself with good people – and I think she has – she’ll handle it (fame).”

Retton, 39, said she has come “full circle” now that she’s a mother of four, three of whom are gymnasts.

“I tell everyone here, ‘I know Shawn Johnson,’” Retton said. “That’s my claim to fame.”