USOC HONORS USA 2007 WORLD TEAM
DES MOINES REGISTER
JANUARY 18, 2008

Anticipation is steadily building for the Olympic prospects of West Des Moines gymnast Shawn Johnson and her U.S. teammates, but the U.S. Olympic Committee paused Thursday to recognize their accomplishments in 2007.

The team, which became only the second from the U.S. to win the women's world championships last September in Stuttgart, Germany, was named the USOC's team of the year.

Seven total medals by the seven women made the performance the most successful ever for a U.S. team.

"This is an amazing honor," Johnson, the world all-around and floor exercise gold medalist, said Thursday in a national conference call with reporters. "Winning worlds was the best experience ever. We worked together so well as a team. Hopefully this year we can work even harder and come out on top again."

Johnson, who will turn 16 Saturday, has not competed since the world championships, but USA Gymnastics announced that she will be one of three women's gymnasts representing the U.S. in the American Cup on March 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

She is the defending meet champion.

"I've been working really hard to get ready for this year," Johnson said.

"It's going to be the year of our life."

She also will defend her title in the national championships June 5-8 in Boston, and compete in the Olympic Trials June 19-22 in Philadelphia.

– Johnson and her coach, Liang Chow of Chow's Dance and Gymnastics Institute in West Des Moines, were honored Thursday night by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce as citizens of the year