Shawn Johnson

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 18, 2007—Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, won the senior women’s all-around competition at the 2007 Visa Championships at the HP Pavilion at San Jose (Calif.). Shayla Worley of Orlando finished second and Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, placed third.

 

“I am so happy,” Johnson said. “I came to start out like day one.”

 

Johnson, the 2006 U.S. junior all-around champion, won the all-around title with a score of 123.650, while Worley scored a 120.200 and Liukin, the 2006 U.S. all-around champion, posted a 118.500.

 

Johnson, who competes for Chow’s Gymnastics, came into tonight’s competition in first with a 1.55-point lead over 2007 Pan Am Games team gold-medalist Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE. Johnson began on beam and scored a 16.100 on a routine that included a full-twisting, double-back dismount. Johnson then scored a 15.350 on floor exercise, a 15.150 on her double Yuchenko vault and a 15.300 on her uneven bars routine that was highlighted by a double twisting double layout dismount.

 

Johnson added individual event titles on balance beam, with a total of 31.850, and floor exercise, with a 30.850. 2006 vault world silver-medalist Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass./Brestyan’s, claimed her third straight U.S. vault title with a 30.425. She performed a handspring front Rudi vault that scored a 15.650. On uneven bars, Liukin earned her third straight U.S. title with a total score of 31.550. Her uneven bars routine scored a 16.200, the highest of the night, and was highlighted by a stuck double-front, half-out dismount.  She competes for WOGA

 

The members of the 2007-08 women’s senior national team are: Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla./Bieger International Gymnastics; Darlene Hill of Mt. Laurel, N.J./Will-Moor; Natasha Kelley of Katy, Texas/Stars; Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis./M&M Gymnastics; Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind./DeVeau’s; Sacramone; Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics; Geralen Stack-Eaton of Horsham, Pa./Parkettes; Amber Trani of Richlandtown, Pa./Parkettes; Hong; Johnson; Liukin; and Worley.

 

The 2007-08 women’s junior national team is comprised of: Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas/WOGA; Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE; Rheagan Courville, Baton Rouge, La./Elite; Olivia Courtney, Burke, Va./Orlando Metro; Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas/Texas Dreams; Sarah DeMeo, Overland Park, Kan./GAGE; Mattie Larson, Los Angeles/All Olympia; Corrie Lothrop, Gaithersburg, Md./Hill’s Gymnastics; Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles/All Olympia; Ashley Stott, Temecula, Calif.; Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics; and Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich./Geddert’s.

 

About HP Pavilion at San Jose

HP Pavilion at San Jose is the premier sports and entertainment venue in Northern California.  Home to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League, San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League, SAP Open men’s professional tennis tournament and the annual Pac-10 Women’s Basketball Tournament, HP Pavilion also hosts a multitude of events annually including concerts, family shows and civic events.