Liukin had done everything she could to win the gold medal. Johnson’s performance would determine if she would.
They are the best in the world, these two American gymnasts, sharing the spotlight and the glory - even a room at the athletes’ village. But an Olympic gold medal is not something to be shared, no matter how close the friends.
“Going into this, we knew there would be only one champion,” Liukin said. “And we both were going for it.”
Liukin got it.
The women’s all-around title came down to the teammates, just as everyone knew it would. Even better, it came down to not only the last event, but the last two competitors. Liukin up first, Johnson up last, the gold medal hanging in the balance.
“We have both wanted it so bad that we pushed each other, I think that we became a better and a stronger gymnast because of each other,” Liukin said after she edged Johnson late Thursday night for gymnastics’ biggest prize. “I think if it had just been one of us, there wouldn’t be someone chasing your tail and wanting to make you work even harder.”
Too young in 2004, Liukin - who is from Parker, northeast of Dallas - was anointed as the favorite for Beijing as soon as the Athens Olympics ended. She certainly had the pedigree, the daughter of Valeri, a double gold medalist at the Seoul Games, and Anna, a world champion in rhythmic gymnastics. And with her good looks and friendly personality, the 18-year-old had the intangibles to become an icon.
But an ankle injury before the 2006 world championships nearly ruined everything, hobbling her for almost a year. Liukin continued competing, but there were only glimpses of her dazzling self. And as is so often the case in sports, someone new was right there to step into her place. Now it was Johnson, whose bubbly personality and explosive power were earning her raves, who was winning everything.
When Johnson won the 2007 world all-around title, the 16-year-old became the favorite for Beijing.
A rivalry between teammates will either push them to excel or tear them apart. Liukin and Johnson chose the former.
Knowing that Johnson would beat her on vault and maybe floor, Liukin created an uneven bars routine so difficult it borders on the impossible. It is an intricate mix of turns and twists that showcases her lines and lightness, but is so physically demanding it leaves her gasping for breath when she finally finishes. Johnson chose a new vault, one so tough only a few women in the world even attempt it.
Each woman was playing to her strengths, hoping it would be enough to top the other.
“Of course we knew one would win and one would be second,” Johnson said. “We told each other, ‘Be proud of each other.’”
And they were, after each routine, holding out a hand or nodding in support.
The first two events went as expected: Johnson finishing ahead of Liukin on vault; Liukin passing her after uneven bars.
Johnson was up first on balance beam and was rock solid, doing a series of back handsprings on the 4-inch wide slab as easily and confidently as if it were 4-feet wide. Liukin, though, was breathtaking. Her long legs make her routine look more like performance art, and every leap, handspring and somersault is polished to perfection.
Her 16.125 was just a touch better than Johnson and moved her into first place heading into the floor exercise.
Liukin danced across the floor. When she finished her final tumbling runs, she flashed a megawatt smile for the camera. Her score of 15.525 put her in first place, and left Johnson with a huge gap to close. But Johnson is the reigning world champion on floor and as soon as her music started, Liukin began to pace.
“We kind of have been going back and forth the entire year, and knew it would come down to the final competition, and it came down to our final event,” Liukin said.
Johnson got rare air on her tumbling passes, soaring so high some fans had to look up to see her, yet landing each with an acrobat’s ease. She was so happy when she finished, she practically sprinted off the floor.
Liukin and Johnson stood apart as they waited for the final marks to post. When they popped up on the scoreboard, tears filled Liukin’s eyes.
