By NANCY STOCKDALE • nstockdale@dmreg.com • June 22, 2008 Philadelphia, Pa.


Beijing, here she comes.

Shawn Johnson, the West Des Moines 16-year-old who has charged up the global sports scene with her wholesome habits and her holy cow athletic skills, will lead the favored U.S. women’s gymnastics team into the Summer Olympics in six weeks.

"I'm so excited," Johnson said. "I'm just the happiest girl in the world right now."

Johnson wrapped up her prized spot by dominating the two-day Olympic Trials ending Sunday, earning one of two automatic berths along with Nastia Liukin.

Liukin, a nine-time world medalist, and Johnson, the reigning world champion, will give the United States a strong shot at winning its first Olympic team gold medal ever on foreign soil. The only U.S. team gold medal ever came from the 1996 Atlanta squad starring Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu and Kerri Strug.

Both Johnson and Liukin will be top contenders for the coveted all-around gold medal and the superstar status that it promises.

Johnson’s berth on the Beijing team has been a dream for almost as long as she has trained under Liang Chow, a former Chinese world team member from Beijing, at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines. Chow’s wife, Liwen Zhuang, is Shawn’s balance beam coach.

“They have worked so hard to get me here,” Johnson said last month. “When they came from China, they were so well known, they were such successful athletes. I want to prove to their country that they still are successful.”

Johnson was in control of Sunday’s final round from the start. She was the first gymnast up, in her most precarious event, the vault. She flew high to complete her new vault with two rotations and 2 1-2 twists, scoring 15.9.

On uneven bars, Johnson’s weakest event although still at a world-class level, she scored 15.35 with a clean routine.