ESPN the Weekend: Shawn Johnson

Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson took time visit at ESPN the Weekend at Disney's Hollywood Studios to talk with me.

BR: You injured your knee during a ski trip last month. Talk a little bit about the injury, describe the severity of it and what's the latest on your progress?

SJ: I tore my ACL and meniscus about a little over a month ago. I'm a week and a half out of surgery, so things are good. The surgery went fine. I'm on the mend already doing therapy for about a week. I have a long way to go — about six months to go. But I love it. It's a weird thing to say about an injury but it's a blessing of disguise for me. It's the first break I've ever gotten. It's the first time I can actually sit down and think about what I want to do and where I want to go. It's time to be normal and get myself back in shape, get healthy. It's a blessing.

BR: What has rehab been like?

SJ: It's a little different because if it was an ACL you can get back from that pretty quick. I could be walking already. But since it's my meniscus, it's completely non-weight bearing. I'm on crutches for six weeks, which is hard. The crutches is the only thing that's hard. I'm the kind of person, I want to be up and running, I want to be up and swimming already. But I can't do that for another probably ten weeks. It's hard, but it's the first time where I actually have to listen to my body and say ‘You know what, you need a break." I love it.

BR: Speaking of crutches, how hard are they to use?

SJ: It's horrible. I hate it. I like being able to walk. I've been tripping over everything and slipping since it's raining. It's difficult but I'll get used to it.

BR: You went to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics. Describe the feeling of going to the Olympics as a spectator in comparison to when you went to Beijing as a competitor.

SJ: It's really weird. When I arrived in Vancouver, you know, there's such a welcoming ceremony that goes into just the airport. There's media, there's credentials, there's briefing, there's signs and banners. Going there and not being an athlete, it's definitely a different feeling, but I started getting sweaty palms like ‘Oh my gosh, I'm competing,' you know, but it's great. It's great being a spectator, and just to see the whole Olympic movement be put on and see how many people are coming together and see how the U.S is competing, it's an amazing feeling.

BR: While you were in Vancouver, did you get a chance to catch any curling and do you understand why the country is so crazy about it?

SJ: To be honest, I come from gymnastics. It's a very physical sport. It's something that you have to work your whole life for. Curling is something that I'm not completely understanding of. I love that it's a part of the sports and people are really passionate about it. I love the passion that goes into it, but you know, I prefer more of a physical sport. It's a personal thing. I love the entertainment side of it. I love how people are really supportive of it. It's just something I don't think I would ever do.

BR: Being a teenager, you have to love Disney. You were here last year. What about this event makes it a must-attend?

SJ: The ESPN the Weekend is something that I absolutely adored last year. It's a place where great athletes can come and feel normal, get away, be able to enjoy Disney World with their family. It's also a place where we can really incorporate athletics and sports, and teach people about it, teach kids how to be a part of athletics, and that athletics can be a great thing. It's not just hard work, it's fun. Being able to be in the company of all these great athletes is a must for me. It's something that I will probably be attending for a long time.