Shawn Johnson East
Shawn Johnson East (born Shawn Machel Johnson; January 19, 1992) is an American former artistic gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medalist and team, all-around and floor exercise silver medalist. Johnson is also the 2007 all-around World Champion, and a five-time Pan American Games gold medalist, winning the team titles in 2007 and 2011, as well as titles in the all-around, uneven bars, and balance beam in 2007.
"Shawn Johnson" redirects here. For other people, see Shawn Johnson (disambiguation).Shawn Johnson East
America's Sweetheart[1]
United States
January 19, 1992[2]
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
4 ft 11 in (150 cm)[3]
Senior International Elite
2004–2008, 2011–2012 (USA)
Liwen Zhuang
August's Rhapsody from August Rush
June 3, 2012
3
Longines Prize for Elegance (2007)
ESPY for Best US Female Olympian (2009)
Johnson became a member of the U.S. senior team in 2007. Her rookie season included winning the all-around at the American Cup, Pan American Games, U.S. National Championships, and World Championships. Johnson is also the 2007 individual all-around World Champion, 2007 World Champion on floor exercise, and a member of the 2007 gold medal-winning U.S. gymnastics team. As well as being the 2007 U.S. Champion on balance beam and floor exercise, the 2008 U.S. Champion on floor exercise and silver medalist on balance beam, Johnson is a three-time U.S. all-around Champion, winning once as a junior and twice as a senior.
In May 2009, Johnson was the winner of season eight of Dancing with the Stars, and in November 2012 she earned second place on the all-star edition.
Johnson announced her retirement from gymnastics on June 3, 2012.
Early and personal life[edit]
Johnson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, the daughter of Doug and Teri Johnson. Her parents enrolled her in a gymnastics class at age 3 after they noticed her climbing cabinets and jumping off tables. At age 6, Johnson was one of Liang Chow's first students when he opened a gymnastics school in West Des Moines, and he would go on to coach Johnson for nearly two decades as a competitive gymnast.[4][5][6] "Chow is like a father to me, we've been with each other for so long," Johnson said in 2012.[6]
Johnson attended Valley High School.[7] She was on the honor roll and liked to attend football games and dances.[8] Through 2008, Johnson maintained a more balanced lifestyle than typical of elite female gymnasts.[9] She limited her gymnastics training to 25 hours per week, as opposed to the more typical 40 hours.[10]
Johnson left public school in the spring of 2009. She and her mother relocated to Los Angeles, California, before appearing on Dancing with the Stars. In 2010, she finished high school with a private tutor.[11][12] She enrolled at Vanderbilt University in 2013, but withdrew before classes began.[13]
Johnson is married to Andrew East, a professional football long snapper who played for the Washington Commanders in 2018. They were engaged on July 24, 2015, at Wrigley Field during a Chicago Cubs game[14] and were married on April 16, 2016, in Franklin, Tennessee.[15] They live in Nashville, Tennessee.[16]
In November 2015, she revealed that she had suffered from an eating disorder in 2008 in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympics. She admitted she only used to eat around 700 calories per day.[17][18]
In October 2017, Johnson revealed through a YouTube video that she had been pregnant but suffered a miscarriage.[19] In April 2019, Johnson and her husband announced they were expecting their first child.[20] Their daughter, Drew Hazel East, was born on October 29, 2019.[21] In January 2021, Johnson and her husband announced that they were expecting their second child, a son.[22] Their son, Jett James East, was born on July 19, 2021.[23] In July 2023, Johnson and her husband announced on their YouTube channel that they are expecting their third child. Their son Barrett “Bear” Madison East was born December 12, 2023.
In February 2022, Johnson and her husband joined the ownership group of Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League.[24]
Competitive history[edit]
Skills[edit]
The trademarks of Johnson's gymnastics were her power, difficulty and consistency, though she was considered weaker on the uneven bars and lacked great flexibility. She was the first American to complete a 2.5 twisting Yurchenko vault (Amanar). As of 2008, Johnson often competed the following skills on each apparatus (from 2005 to 2008 CoP):