Why has Shawn Johnson not had a post-competitive career within the sport of gymnastics?

[MaryClare]

She still had a massive profile post Beijing that she could have used as a vehicle to do whatever she wanted.

 

[ucrgirl]

I suspect that she has. She has used her profile to become an “Influencer” and seems happy with that choice.

 

[Passion]

Public school and less training hours still didn’t protect her from Marta. Shawn had an eating disorder and was starving herself for the majority of her years in elite.

 

[onodian]

Ouch, didn’t know that. There goes my theory

 

[MaryClare]

I didn’t know about her eating disorder, but I’m not surprised.

She was absolutely tiny, even by teenage gymnast standards. And probably aware that so many of her skills were dependent on her body remaining a child

 

[RAFIKI]

I remember several conversations on wwgym post-2007 worlds about her poor technique. Specifically speculation that if she grew much she’d be off the end of the beam on her series.

 

[Hatsumomo]

That and the fact that a lot of her skills consisted of her just throwing her body around. For somebody so tiny and so powerful, she was always landing face to knees. On her LOSO-back pike series on beam, her feet have landed on the beam and her head is still upside-down. Not to mention she was very low on her aerial skills. No set, no pop in the air.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It’s a fair point. If we clocked that, to the extent that there were discussions about it, she might’ve realised too.

 

[ruby]

I strongly disagree that Shawn had poor technique. Her skills were very technical but some of the specific technique she used became a little problematic when she got older - especially the reliance on quick rotation with little set.

I also don’t think saying she “attempted to come back” in 2011(?) is correct. She definitely came back and was part of the Pan Am (?) team where she did reasonably well. It was a short comeback but a proper one.

 

[tempest]

never forget



2:16 gets me every time

 

[onodian]

Omg that first video where she’s giving a speech is HILARIOUS. Let me retract everything i said about balanced mental health right here

 

[RedBirdie]

Oh no, girlfriend has a rather…interesting relationship with the truth.

 

[JaJa]

Omg that first video where she’s giving a speech is HILARIOUS. Let me retract everything i said about balanced mental health right here

Well . . . .is being fundamentally silly actually a recognized psychological illness?

 

[MaryClare]

She might not have won AA gold, but she’s absolutely Mary Lou’s successor…

 

[irichluck21]

Shawn also said she was the 2008 Olympic captain…uhmmmmm Alicia would like to meet you outside Shawn.