U.S. Women’s Team, Johnson take USOC monthly honors

The U.S. Women’s World Championships Team that won the team title and 2007 world all-around champion Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, were chosen as the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Co-Team of the Month and Female Athlete of the Month

October 12, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Oct. 12, 2007— The U.S. Women’s World Championships Team that won the team title and 2007 world all-around champion Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, were chosen as the U.S. Olympic Committee‘s Co-Team of the Month and Female Athlete of the Month, respectively, for September for their accomplishments at the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. The 2007 world team champions tied in team voting with the U.S. Greco-Roman Wrestling World Championships Team.

The U.S. women won the team gold medal, just the second ever for the USA and the first team title won at a World Championships held outside of the United States. The U.S. Women’s Team brought home seven medals total – four gold, two silver and one bronze – from the World Championships for its most successful performance ever at a team world championships. By finishing in the top 12, the U.S. women qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Johnson is just one of four U.S. women to win the coveted world all-around title, joining Kim Zmeskal (1991), Shannon Miller (1993-94) and Chellsie Memmel (2005). She also won the world floor exercise gold medal.

In addition to Johnson, the members of the U.S. Women’s Team were: Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo.; Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas; Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind.; Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass.; and Shayla Worley of Orlando, Fla. Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind., was the reserve athlete.

Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States, encourages participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.