Shawn Johnson
Shawn Johnson
Shawn Machel Johnsonis an American retired artistic gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medalist and team, all-around and floor exercise silver medalist. Johnson is also a five-time Pan American Games gold medalist, winning the team titles in 2007 and 2011, as well as titles in the all-around, uneven bars, and balance beam in 2007...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAthlete
Date of Birth19 January 1992
CountryUnited States of America
years class
I started taking gymnastic classes when I was 3 years old.
sports taken athlete
I missed being considered an athlete and having that competitive drive, and missed having something to work for every day. I'd taken two and a half years away from the sport and was out of shape. I wanted to get back to where I was in 2008.
perfect age taught
Were taught at such a young age that you can always be better and that youre never perfect and that youre never good enough.
running gymnastics years
After 13 years of hard landings in gymnastics, one ski run had delivered the biggest injury of my career.
class mind relax
I live for Pilates reformer class. I go at least three times a week. It's a great way to lengthen your muscles, stretch, and kind of relax your mind.
training olympics skiing
My coach, Liang Chow, had one rule while I was training for the 2008 Olympics: no skiing. I could do anything I wanted outside the gym, he said, except ski.
training gold olympics
Of course, when you're training your whole life to get to the Olympics, you train for gold.
strong gymnastics broke
Gymnastics has made me strong. I feel like it broke me down to my lowest point, but at the same time, it has given me the greatest strength anyone could ask for.
gymnastics class parent
When I was 3 my parents put me in gymnastics because I was a bundle of energy and they just didn't know what to do with me! They put me in a Tots class and I just fell in love with it.
want needs knows
I know how much more I need to do to be where I want.
gymnastics complexes
Gymnastics is so complex.
mind doubt tears
I had a constant fear, a constant little doubt in my mind: 'OK, I'm getting ready to do my standing back full on beam and I might re-tear my ACL.'
gymnastics impossible comeback
A comeback in gymnastics is almost impossible in itself.
thinking phones giving
I set my phone with motivational quotes to go off on random days and times. Like, 'You're stronger than you think you are.' I'll forget about it, then one will pop up and it'll give me a little boost.