INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., – 2006 U.S. junior all-around champion Shawn Johnson of Des Moines, Iowa, is one of four women who will represent the United States in the 2006 Junior Pan American Championships, Aug. 25-27, at the Palais des Congrès in Gatineau, Que.

The U.S. women’s squad features: Rebecca Bross of Ann Arbor, Mich./WOGA; Bianca Flohr of Creston, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics; Samantha Peszek of McCordsville, Ind./DeVeau’s; and Johnson, who trains at Chow’s Gymnastics. Ivana Hong of Laguna Hills, Calif./GAGE, is the alternate.

Each of these gymnasts had success at the 2006 Visa Championships: Johnson won the all-around, vault, balance beam and floor exercise, with a second on the uneven bars; Flohr was first on the uneven bars and finished second in the all-around and floor exercise; Peszek was second in the vault and third in the all-around and uneven bars; and Bross was second on beam and fourth in the all-around.
The U.S. Men’s Team, which was named following the U.S. Men’s Qualifier, includes: Tim Gentry of Plano, Texas/WOGA; Ryan Lieberman of Lake Forest, Ill./Buffalo Grove Gymnastics; Philip Onorato of Plano/WOGA; and Miguel Pineda of Galloway, Ohio/Hocking Valley Gymnastics.
The Junior Pan Am Championships is held every two years and the 2004 competition was held in El Salvador. This year’s event is expected to include teams from Canada, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.