… With less than 12 months to go until the Beijing Olympics, Johnson looked every bit like America’s next superstar gymnast Thursday night, handling the pressure of national championships with the same high-flying power and confidence she’s been showing all year.
The 15-year-old Iowa dynamo was in the lead after the first of two days of competition, scoring 61.7 points to finish 1.55 ahead of Ivana Hong and 2.65 ahead of two-time defending champion Nastia Liukin, who made major mistakes on two of four events and was in fifth.
“It’s very important,” Johnson said of her solid first day. “Now, since it’s a year away, every day, the competition counts.”
SI.com – More Sports – Johnson flying high at gymnastics nationals
larger photo – USA today
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