What I like about Shawn Johnson
August 21, 2008 | Filed Under Opinion and Commentary | 9 Responses
Watching Olympic women’s gymnastics is always a mixed experience. Most competitors are just kids, and in the case of the 2008 Chinese team, really, really young kids, taken from their homes and separated from their families at a very early age for years of intense training. One has to wonder how many of them–from all nations–really like what they are doing. Even Nastia Liukin, for all of her athletic and balletic grace and style doesn’t seem like a happy camper.
And then along comes Shawn Johnson who, at 16, has more poise than anyone else in the arena, and I include the silly paid professional commentators. (Maybe especially the silly commentators.) She’s the World Champion in the 2007 All-Around Gymnastics competition and she got that by a substantial margin. She also won the All-Around at the American Cup, Pan-American Games, and the US National Championships. At 14 she was the World Junior champion. In this year’s Olympics she won the Silver for All Around, the team competition, and the floor finals, and the Gold on the balance beam, bringing her 2008 Oly total to 3 Silvers and a Gold. Speaking before Beijing about Shawn’s ability in all four of the women’s gymnastics events, Olympic great Mary Lou Retton said, “She is the real deal.”
But that’s just the competitive glory. What really gets me about this kid is that she loves what she does, she has grace as a gymnast and even more as a person, and she takes sportsmanship to a high level as exemplified in her supporting and applauding her teammate and competitor Nastia Liukin who got Gold in the All-Around. [She also shows her maturity, humility, and joyfulness on her blog.] While the media goes ga-ga over characters like the 100 and 200-meter track sensation Usain Bolt whose arrogance belies a lack of self-assurance at his core (and don’t even get me started on men’s basketball with it’s multi-million dollar competitors from the NBA, none of whom even make a patch on Dara Torres’ swimcap), I applaud this Iowa kid. Even if she becomes a media darling in the coming days and weeks, I doubt very much that her character will be diminished. So kudos to her parents, her trainers, and her own amazing self and the best of luck in the future. As the People’s Republic of China failed miserably in its bid to impress the world with its hosting of the 2008 Olympics, Shawn Johnson went out there and quietly and impressively stole their thunder.
Check her out in “At home with Olympic hopeful Shawn Johnson”, an informal interview with KCCI’s (Des Moines TV) Andy Garman:
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9 Responses to “What I like about Shawn Johnson”
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At least Usain Bolt donated $50,000 to Chinese Earthquake fund. So maybe Shawn Johnson could done the same thing but Im not sure how much money she has but all I know is there both good athletes. So that’s ignorant statement somebody who doesn’t apperciate what someone does.
[Editor: I stand by my statement as made. Usain Bolt is arrogant, and that is probably because deep down he lacks a real sense of who he is. He has been called out by others in the sports world for being arrogant, not just little old me. It is great that he took some of the millions he’ll be making and helped someone else. Maybe he’ll mature into someone with more real confidence, enough to acknowledge the accomplishments of others.]
This is really a true article.
Shawn has so many powerful aspects in her character. She is truely one of the most mature, poised, and responsible person I know. And she is only 16. Amazing!
She is amazing.Those who’ve met her are invited to share your stories here.
Well maybe Bolt is little arrogant but he is good at what he does and he made Jamaican’s proud of his country. He just likes having fun and some people get the wrong impression of who he really is. I wonder if Shawn Johnson has met Usain Bolt. I would like to see them in a McDonald’s commercial together because those are two good athletes who made there country proud of them.
[Editor: Yes, it was really exciting to watch the Jaomaicans and the genuine pride they felt in their country.]
Do you know if Shawn Johnson has met Usain Bolt at the Olympics?
[Editor: . . no idea. . .]
I saw Usain Bolt on Letterman last night the same one Shawn was on last month. I wonder if she watch the show because Usain seems like a nice person.
I missed Bolt on Letterman. Was he more gracious than he’d been in the Olympics? I hope so, hope he has learned some humility.
Yes he was and you can check it out on Youtube if you want to see for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8wfwy-QfiA
Right you are.