News: Johnson wins women’s all-around at 2007 Visa Championships

Johnson wins women’s all-around
at 2007 Visa Championships

August 18, 2007

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 on a handspring front Rudi vault. 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.

HP Pavilion at San Jose is an exemplification of architectural excellence and technological innovation. Outside, a shining stainless-steel facade supports a magnificent, glass pyramid entry, soaring 10 stories above the ground. Inside, first-class amenities and leading-edge seismic engineering contribute to the building’s reputation as one of the finest facilities in the United States.

HP Pavilion at San Jose is capable of accommodating a full-range of entertainment. State-of-the-art acoustics, plush seating and a video replay scoreboard add to the comfort and luxury for the venue’s patrons. In addition, the downtown location is easily accessible via several major freeways, light-rail and a regional train station, located across the street.

About San Jose McEnery Convention Center

Considered the hub for meetings and conventions in San Jose, the San Jose McEnery Convention Center opened its doors in April 1989. The facility has 432,000 square feet of function space, including a 22,000 square-foot ballroom and 30 meeting rooms.

About Visa USA

Visa USA is a leading payments brand and the nation's largest payments system, enabling banks to provide their consumer and business customers with a wide variety of payment alternatives tailored to meet their evolving needs. Visa USA is committed to increasing the choice, convenience, acceptance and security of Visa payments for all stakeholders – financial institutions, cardholders and merchants. In the United States, more than 521 million Visa-branded cards have been issued by our 13,320 financial institution customers.

Visa products generated nearly $1.8 trillion in total volume in the United States through March 2007 and enjoy unsurpassed acceptance around the globe. For more information, visit www.visa.com.

About the San Jose Sports Authority

The San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization that serves as the sports marketing agency for the City of San Jose. Since their inception in 1991, they have worked with community partners to bring more than 150 premier events and programs to the San Jose area. For more information, visit www.sjsa.org.

About USA Gymnastics

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.