POSTED: Friday September 7th 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Johnson wins women?s all-around at 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept. 7, 2007 ? Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, became just the fourth U.S. woman ever to win a world all-around title with her come-from-behind victory in the women?s all-around finals at the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, the 2005 world all-around silver-medalist, finished fifth. Steliana Nistor of Romania was second, with Brazil?s Jade Barbosa and Italy?s Vanessa Ferrari, the defending all-around champion, tied for third.

?I think I am still in a magical place, and it hasn?t sunk in yet,? said Johnson, who trains at Chow?s Gymnastics.  ?(After my floor routine), I just started crying and couldn?t stop. It made me feel so proud to represent the USA, and to get the (all-around) gold medal is an unreal feeling.  It is a dream come true.? 

Johnson joins Kim Zmeskal (1991), Shannon Miller (1993-94) and Chellsie Memmel (2005) as the only U.S. women?s gymnasts to win an all-around world title.

?Both Shawn and Nastia are tremendous champions,? said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics.  ?Their success tonight is a testament to the incredible effort of the entire women’s program.  We could not be more proud of their accomplishments.?

Johnson was fifth after two rotations and moved into second behind Barbosa by 0.1 points heading into the final event, floor exercise. After Barbosa fell on one of her tumbling passes, Johnson nailed her floor exercise routine for her second gold medal of this year?s World Championships. She and Liukin, along with the rest of the U.S. Women?s Team, won the team gold medal on Wednesday.

?I was very nervous, knowing that I was that close to a world medal,? said Johnson.  ?I just went out and tried to have fun. I felt a little shaky (due to nerves) and I am going to go back and work on perfection.?

Both Johnson and Liukin began the all-around finals on vault. Johnson was the first to go in her group, and had a small step on her Yurchenko double to score a 15.175.  Liukin?s Yurchenko one-and-a-half earned a 14.750.  Barbosa had the highest vault at 15.900 to take the lead after the first rotation, with China?s Yang Yilin (who started on uneven bars) in second and Johnson in third.

Liukin led off on uneven bars with her impressive routine that included an Ono turn with extra half into a layout Geinger, and she had one small step on her double-front, half-out dismount to post a 16.100.  Johnson executed her routine very well, landing her double-twisting, double-layout dismount with one small step to claim a 15.375.  Liukin was tied for first with Barbosa at 30.850, and Johnson was in fifth at the end of two events.

The balance beam again was a challenge to the U.S. women.  Johnson, going first, fought to stay on the beam after her acro series, but kept her focus and came back strong with the rest of her routine. She nailed her full-twisting double-back dismount, with a small step, to earn a 15.900.  Liukin, who was last in the rotation, recovered from a fall on her acro series to hit the rest of her beam routine, including her two-and-a-half twisting dismount, for a 14.575.  Barbosa moved into the lead at 46.550, followed by Johnson at 46.450.  Liukin dropped to fourth at 45.425 going into the final event.

Barbosa, the first gymnast to perform her floor exercise routine in the final rotation, fell on a tumbling pass and scored a 14.000. For the second straight session, Johnson took to the floor and executed her tumbling-backed routine that includes a double double and a double-pike dismount with confidence and a brilliant smile.  She earned a 15.425, which moved her into the lead with a total score of 61.875. Liukin, whose dance quality is outstanding, received a 14.675 for a total score of 60.100 and a final finish of fifth. Nistor, the last gymnast to perform on floor, received a 14.975, which gave her the silver medal with a total score of 60.625.

?I am extremely pleased to be back competing in the all-around,? said Liukin, who just returned to competition earlier this summer following an injury prior to the 2006 World Championships, ?and it is just such a great feeling to compete in an all-around finals.  It is great to be here and be a part of a team with these girls.?

The individual event finals are split between Sept. 8 and 9 and begin at 2 p.m. each day.  All times are local Stuttgart time. The USA has six gymnasts competing in the individual event finals: Guillermo Alvarez of Denver, floor exercise; Alexander Artemev of Morrison, Colo., pommel horse; Johnson, balance beam and floor exercise; Liukin, uneven bars and balance beam; Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., vault and floor exercise; and Kevin Tan of Fremont, Calif., still rings. For full results and coverage of the 2007 World Championships, visit www.usa-gymnastics.org.

Earlier today, Jonathan Horton of Houston was fourth in the men?s all-around finals, with David Durante of Garwood, N.J., finishing 17th.

U.S. gymnastics fans have three ways to follow the action from the 2007 World Championships.  ?USA Gymnastics:  Behind the Team presented by AT&T? will have video clips from Stuttgart, including athlete media interviews after competition, at www.attblueroom.com/teamusa.  WCSN is offering a free, live and on-demand Web cast of the men?s and women?s team, all-around and individual event finals at www.wcsn.com. WCSN.com?s daily, live coverage of the medal rounds concludes on the last day of the individual event finals on Sept. 9.  The on-demand coverage will be posted approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live Web cast.  For the first time since 2003, gymnastics fans can enjoy coverage of the 2007 World Championships on network TV.  NBC Sports is broadcasting a two-hour broadcast on Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. ET.  Sponsorship by AT&T has made these three avenues of coverage available to gymnastics enthusiasts.

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.

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2007 World Championships

Stuttgart, Germany

Sept. 7, 2007

Women?s all-around finals

1. Shawn Johnson, USA, 61.875

2. Stellana Nistor, Romania, 60.625

3. Jade Barbosa, Brazil, 60.550

3. Vanessa Ferrari, Italy, 60.550

5. Nastia Liukin, USA, 60.100

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