By NANCY STOCKDALE • nstockdale@dmreg.com • June 21, 2008 Philadelphia, Pa.


Shawn Johnson is clutching a golden opportunity in her petite but powerful hands.

One more night of solid gymnastics routines Sunday and she's in the Olympics.

"I don't believe I'm almost there," she said.

The West Des Moines teen who showed up at Chow's gym at age 6 because her parents wanted her to burn off some energy took the first-round lead Friday at the Olympic Trials.

Johnson, the world champion, hit skill after skill as the crowd of 12,490 at the Wachovia Center screamed in appreciation.

"The Olympics are your ultimate goal," Johnson said. "I think getting there is almost more nerve-wracking."

Johnson scored 64.00 points. Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, was second at 63.50.

The top two after Sunday's final round automatically qualify to compete in August in Beijing. The remainder of the six-member team will be named at a selection camp July 20 at the U.S. training center outside Houston.

Friday night's scores are added to Sunday's for a final number.

Johnson surprised the field by adding a full turn to her uneven bars routine, increasing her difficulty value. That allowed her to score 15.7 points and close the gap in that event with Liukin, one of the best on the bars in the world, who scored 16.7 points.

At the national championships two weeks ago in Boston, Johnson scored 15.5 on bars and Liukin 17.1.

"I added the full tonight for the first time," Johnson said. "We had been on the safe side with my bars routine before because I wasn't consistent in practice. But my coach (Liang Chow) told me there was no backup plan, I had to do it tonight."

Johnson said she would give herself an 8 on a scale of 1-10 for her routines.

She had the best scores of the night in three events, vault (15.95), beam (16.25) and floor exercise (16.10).

"I can feel the little imperfections in the routines that people can't see," Johnson said. "I want to come out and do them perfect like I do in practice. There are still a lot of little things I can work on."

She thinks she can score higher Sunday - and in Beijing.

"I don't feel like I'm at my peak," she said. "I can improve my handstands on bars, and my dismount, and little things on the balance beam."

She said she still doesn't feel like the Olympics are just a step away.

"I don't believe I'm even here," she said. "It's crazy how far things have gotten."

But she knows how to keep everything under control.

"I talk to myself," she said. "And I stay calm."



Dad is hurting: Shawn Johnson's father is headed for the operating room.

Doug Johnson, a carpenter, was rebuilding the floor of Chow's gym in West Des Moines, which was damaged last week when the nearby Raccoon River flooded, when he was injured.

"He was lifting a piece of plywood," Shawn said, "and he tore his bicep from the elbow up."

He is wearing a sling, and will have surgery on Thursday.

The gym, meantime, opened again on Friday, almost as good as new.