Admirer shows he has mettle

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson shared her fears, favorite routines and workout regimen with more than 400 adoring fans Sunday at the Mid-America Center, but she drew the line at giving out her phone number.

The crowd in the arena gasped, laughed and finally applauded when 10-year-old Danny McMaster of Cahoy's Gymnastics Training Center in Omaha asked Johnson for her phone number during a question-and-answer session at the Hy-Vee Whole Health Experience health fair.

Johnson, 17, who represents Hy-Vee in ad campaigns, gave Danny a hug instead of her digits.

“That was pretty nice of her,” the pint-size Romeo said later. “I thought it would be pretty funny, and I could make her laugh.”

Johnson, a West Des Moines resident, won the gold medal in the balance beam at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing and three silver medals, including in the individual all-around competition. She also won the 2009 “Dancing with the Stars” competition on ABC-TV.

Mitch Streit, a Council Bluffs Hy-Vee store manager, said the fair showcases the grocery chain's commitment to healthy living. He said Hy-Vee employs more pharmacists and dieticians than any grocery chain in the region. “This fair fits with our strategy of helping to make our customers' lives easier, healthier and happier,” Streit said. “We want people to look at us for all their health needs, and not just food.”

Organizers estimated that a total of 8,000 people attended over the six hours of the fair, which featured more than 80 vendors showcasing health- and fitness-related products.

Cory McAndrew and her 5-year-old daughter, Morgan, gave Johnson high marks for her interaction with the arena full of young gymnasts.

Other celebrities at the health fair included Olympic triathlete Hunter Kemper; mountain climber Will Cross; Nebraska volleyball stars Rachel Schwartz and Amanda Gates; and nutritionist Dr. David Katz.

“It was instrumental that she would speak to the kids about the kind of struggles they will face as teenagers,” McAndrew said.

Johnson did not backflip on the other questions tossed her way.

She told the crowd: She has a boyfriend (no name given); her favorite event is the balance beam; she isn't sure how many gold medals she has won in nearly 15 years of competitions; her worst injury so far — knock wood — was a hip stress fracture; her favorite color is purple; the uneven bars make her nervous; she works out about 2½ hours a day; she hasn't resumed gymnastic training yet; and the people she trusts the most are her parents.

“My best advice to all of you is to get started every day with healthy exercise and just live every day to the fullest,” Johnson said. “Have fun with your family . . . take advantage of every opportunity.”

Contact the writer:

444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com