By Erin Keaveney

BEIJING (Hollywood Today) 8/13/08 –– Despite a lackluster finish that left her team with a silver medal yesterday, American gymnast Shawn Johnson still managed to leave the arena with a smile.  This 4′ 8″ 16-year-old from Des Moines, Iowa seems to have an uncanny ability to perform – and smile! – under pressure. 

Though anchored by a strong performance from Johnson, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team fell over two points shy of the top spot due to costly team errors in the beam and floor rounds. China led the United States by just over a point going into the beam event, giving the Americans a window of opportunity when Chinese star Cheng Fei fell during her routine. The United States failed to take advantage, widening the gap further when team veteran Alicia Sacramone fell mounting the beam. Johnson showed incredible mental strength by performing a nearly perfect routine on the beam immediately following Sacramone’s devastating misstep.

And when Sacramone physically crumpled in visible devastation following the floor round, it was again Johnson who lifted her teammate by comforting her with an outstretched arm and whispered secret that briefly upgraded Sacramone’s frown to a smile. Commentators and viewers would later comment on the young gymnast’s poise and cheer in the face of devastation, and those closest to her will attest to the fact that it’s not an act.

The talented and charismatic Johnson seems to strike a special chord with teammates, fans and coaches.  Johnson and her coach Lian Chow share a special bond, as it seems the duo was destined for this Olympic Games, which falls on the same year Johnson became eligible to compete when she turned 16 on January 19. Chow was born and raised in Beijing and moved to the United States in 1992, the same year that Johnson was born.  In 1998 he opened a gymnastics training gym, and four months later an Olympic dream was born when an energetic, 6-year-old Johnson walked through his doors. 

Johnson hopes to have more reasons to smile when she competes in the All-Around on Thursday night, an event she is favored to win despite placing third in the qualifier. Familiar competitive foe and real-life friend Lukin, who is also Johnson’s roommate at the Olympic Village, is expected to be the biggest obstacle en route to the gold medal.

Watch as Johnson looks to build her Olympic medal collection by adding All-Around gold to her team silver when she competes tomorrow night in primetime on NBC.

Get to know Shawn Johnson better with pictures, news and information on the dynamic gymnast: http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=619/bio/index.html