Devastating Retirements: Shawn Johnson

    Shawn Johnson......... She was amazing. She was the first girl to do the Amanar since Simona Amanar. She was an amazing athlete. We know Shawn not only because of her stunning gymnastics, not just because she won every competition she entered until 2008 all-around, not just because of her beam win in China, but because of her million-dollar smile. Even non-gymnastics fans knew Shawn because of her smile, when they see Shawn J. They are all like "Look at that beautiful smile!!" But in 2011, Shawn Johnson competed for the last time, at Nationals, after not making the Worlds team, Shawn gave it up. She performed her last dismount. She didn't try for the Olympics the next year, partly because of the injury she acquired in a skiing accident, but mostly because she decided she wanted to be a normal girl. "The old Shawn is gone, I am no longer that 16 year old girl, I am now 20, my gymnastics won't be the same, but neither will my love for it, I just wanted to see if I can try again, make the World Team, but now that is not possible, I will be retiring" Shawn said to NBC. I watched that interview, and my mother had to comfort me went that interview ended, I was enticed by Shawn's beam work, and I am sure I am not alone when I would say, "I miss you Shawn!" but, no matter how much time passes, none of us who were around in Beijing, will never forget her 2 1/2 vault, her floor work, her bars work, and her explicit beam work, and most importantly, none of us will ever ever ever ever forget her million dollar smile.

Alicia Sacramone: Leaving The Scene

  Alicia Sacramone.......2008 Olympian, 2011 Worlds Team Member (Had to leave Tokyo because of ACL Tear) and 2012 Trials Trier. Alicia was amazing, sure she fell off the beam on her front tuck mount, but that happens! Ever since then, Alicia has been training, training, training in the gym. Alicia then came back to the sport at the US Classic in 2011, the first step-ladder rung for the World Championship Team, she then moved onto the Visa Nationals, where unfortunately, she had a fall on floor, following it up my some issues on beam. But, it happens, as we saw in the Nationals, Alicia was not the only one who had mistakes, especially after Bross's injury, which had a negative effect on everyone, especially Alicia and Aly, who were both beside Bross when she was competing in 2010. So, it had a negative impact on these two girls, and other girls who were competing aside Bross, and who were close, like other gymnasts, but also, Bross's injury effected the younger gymnasts, like Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber. So, Alicia had a nervy Nationals, but made it to the team, mainly because of the circumstances she was under, and the experience she had. But, after she didn't make the Olympic Team, she saw no reason to continue, and is now married to Brady Quinn, a quarterback. Also, Alicia posed for body issue, naked. Her reasoning for this was "It's a huge honor and a cool opportunity. I wanted to show that you don't need to be 13 or 14 years old to be a gymnast. You can be older and still have good resIt's a huge honor and a cool opportunity. I wanted to show that you don't need to be 13 or 14 years old to be a gymnast. You can be older and still have good results.

When I first got the offer I was a little nervous. But then I thought, "You've worn a leotard in front of a billion people; this isn't that different." Plus, I work out really hard and I'm proud of my body. 

   But, Alicia has not given up performing as a gymnast completely, she has competed in the 2013 Pro Gymnastics Challenge, and is expected to compete again in the 2014 Pro Gymnastics Challenge, later this year. I am looking forward to see Alicia, the old Alicia