#pics

In some ways the ACL tear was a blessing. I had hesitated to return to elite gymnastics after the 2008 Olympics. I told myself I had already accomplished so much, and the road was just going to get harder if I continued. ↗

— Shawn Johnson

#accomplished #after #already #blessing #continued

The Beijing Olympics represent China's grand entrance onto the world stage and confirmation of its new superpower status. ↗

— Ma Jian

#china #confirmation #entrance #grand #new

It sounds funny, but the 2008 Olympics were something that just kind of happened, and I was lucky they came at a point when I was uninjured and well prepared. As a gymnast, you can't ask for much more. ↗

— Shawn Johnson

#ask #came #funny #gymnast #happened

Of course, when you're training your whole life to get to the Olympics, you train for gold. ↗

— Shawn Johnson

#get #gold #life #olympics #train

People only see gymnastics on TV and in the Olympics at such an extreme. So it can be intimidating. ↗

— Shawn Johnson

#gymnastics #intimidating #olympics #only #people

To finish off this whole Olympics by finally getting the gold medal, it's the best feeling in the world. ↗

— Shawn Johnson

#feeling #finally #finish #getting #gold

I did pretty well at the Sydney Olympics, but those were my first Games. ↗