Cheap Plane Tickets

Johnson, Liukin Advance to Beijing

Back

SportsJohnson, Liukin Advance to BeijingJohnson, Liukin Advance to BeijingThe Associated PressTwo gymnasts have won their spot on the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team. Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin finished in the top two spots at the Olympic trials Sunday night. (June 23)[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] SHE'S A PINT SIZED 16-YEAR-OLD WITH A SOFT SWEET VOICE, BUT DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU, SHAWN JOHNSON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH....THE YOUNG GYMNAST HAS SUCH EXCEPTIONAL TALENT AND POWER SHE'S BEING COMPARED TO LEGENDAY MARY LOU RETTON....AND NOW LIKE RETTON, SHE HAS THE CHANCE TO PROVE HERSELF AS AN OLYMPIANSOT: SHAWN JOHNSON: "it feels amazing to finally have it be reality and to actually know i have that spot i've earned it and i finally proved it that i'm that person everybody talked about"AFTER BEATING OUT THIRTEEN OF THE NATION'S TOP GYMNASTS AT THIS WEEK'S OLYMPIC TRIALS, JOHNSON AND HER TOUGHEST RIVAL AND TEAM MATE NASTIA LIUKIN CAME OUT WITH THE TOP TWO SPOTS ON THE OLYMPIC TEAMSOT: NASTIA LIUKIN: "i looked at shawn and we both had tears in our eyes and we kind of just told each other that we couldn't believe we were already here and she looked at me and said we made it!"IT WAS A GIVEN THAT JOHNSON AND LIUKIN WOULD BE NAMED....BOTH ARE REGARDED AS NOT ONLY THE TOP TWO WOMEN GYMNASTS IN THE COUNTRY BUT VERY POSSIBLY THE WORLD...SO NOW THE QUESTION IS WHO WILL MAKE UP THE OTHER FOUR SPOTS ON THE TEAM...STANDUP: BONNY GHOSH: Unlike the men, the women still have more work to do before they can earn a spot on the team....from trials the women will head off to a training camp where they'll compete for four days before an official decision is made on July 20th.SOT: MARTHA KAROLYI: "they have to be able to handle the pressure who cannot handle the pressure has no place on this team"IF THIS WEEK'S TRIALS ARE ANY INDICATION AS TO WHO MAY END UP WITH A SPOT.....SURELY ALICIA SACRAMONE AND CHELSIE MEMMEL MADE A CLEAR CASE FOR WHY THEY SHOULD BE PICKED....MEMMEL RECEIVED THE ONLY STANDING OVATION OF THE NIGHT WITH HER FLOOR EXERCISESOT: CHELSIE MEMMEL: "it was awesome getting a standing ovation i haven't gotten that many of them in my career and to get it at olympic trials is amazing"WITH TRIALS NOW OVER....THESE WOMEN KNOW THEY STILL HAVE THEIR WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM....THE ROAD TO THE OLYMPICS IS FILLED WITH UNCERTAINTIES....BUT AFTER TODAY ONE THING IS CERTAIN.....SHAWN JOHNSON AND NASTIA LIUKIN ARE TWO OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS ON THEIR WAY TO BEIJING....IN PHILADELPHIA BONNY GHOSH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Category: Sports
Uploaded: June 23rd, 2008 @ 2:37 am
Author: AssociatedPress

Length: 02:04
Rating: