Women's All-Around
| Name | Shawn Johnson |
|---|---|
| Country | U.S. |
| Credentials | One gold (2007) at world championships |
| Name | Anastasia Liukin |
|---|---|
| Country | U.S. |
| Credentials | One silver (2005) at world championships |
| Name | Steliana Nistor |
|---|---|
| Country | Romania |
| Credentials | One silver (2007) at world championships |
On a roll
Johnson is the reigning world champion and edged out Liukin at the U.S. national championships. Johnson as upgraded her routines in preparation for the Beijing Games.
On a slide
Italian Vanessa Ferarri was the world champion in 2006 but has dealt with injuries since then.
Under the radar
Brazil's Jade Barbosa won the bronze at last year's world championships and is upgrading her routine in preparation for the Beijing Games. She could end up in the medal mix.
The Canadians
It's still unclear whether both Canadians, Nansy Damianova and Elye Hopfner-Hibbs, will compete in the all-around competition. Of the two, Hopfner-Hibbs has a better chance of advancing to the finals. She is capable of a top 20 finish.
X-Factor
The new scoring system has changed the nature of this event. If her start values (difficulty) are high enough, an athlete can make a few mistakes and still come out on top. Consistency is not as important under the new system as it was under the old one. It will be interesting to see how this new "wiggle room" will affect the outcome.
The lowdown
Johnson should win this competition but will she? It depends on how she handles the pressure of competing in the Olympics. Though she has shown mental toughness in the past, she is only 16.