Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson To Appear at CHEERSPORT Nationals

CHEERSPORT is proud to announce that Olympic Gold medalist Shawn Johnson will appear at CHEERSPORT Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia, February 5-6, 2010. The event is the largest cheerleading competition in the world. Johnson will be an integral part of CHEERSPORT's Celebration of Hope and Cheer on Friday evening and will then sign autographs for fans on Saturday at the Inside Cheerleading magazine booth.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome one of the biggest sports stars in the world today to our premiere event in Atlanta,” said CHEERSPORT owner Kevin Brubaker. “Just like the American public in general, cheerleaders have a true respect for Shawn Johnson and her accomplishments. Her personality is even more captivating than her incredible accomplishments and I know our competitors and spectators will love that Shawn Johnson is going to be a part of our event.”

Johnson will help kick-off the weekend's festivities Friday night, beginning at 8 pm at the Georgia Dome, welcoming the crowd and providing words of encouragement to the competitors. After the welcome, Johnson, who tumbled her way to stardom at the 2008 Olympics, will serve as a judge for the So You Think You Can Tumble Contest, presented by Inside Cheerleading magazine. Johnson will also present the trophy to the winner of the competition. Immediately after the contest, CHEERSPORT will host a VIP reception where the contest winner, sponsors, and special guests will have the opportunity to meet Johnson in person.

Johnson's appearance on Friday evening is all part of a kickoff event called A Celebration of Hope and Cheer. In addition to the So You Think You Can Tumble Contest, renowned choreographer Jamie Parrish, who also owns Georgia All Stars, will be creating a group routine for all cheerleaders in attendance to perform in an attempt to set a world record for a group performance involving cheerleaders.

The evening will also be dedicated to the memory of cheerleader Hope Stout, who lost her battle with cancer in 2004, but whose legacy and spirit of giving remains strong through the March Forth with Hope Foundation. Hope Stout was granted a wish the Make-A-Wish Foundation and her wish was that the 155 Wish Kids would have their wishes granted. A portion of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to March Forth with Hope Foundation in Hope Stout's memory.

On Saturday, February 6^th, Johnson will appear at the Inside Cheerleading magazine booth from 10am to 11am to sign autographs for as many fans as possible during that hour. Johnson recently became a part of the Inside Cheerleading magazine family, penning a column in each issue called Shawn Says in which she answers questions from readers and providing her perspective on a variety of topics, ranging from performance and training to fashion and entertainment.

“We've known Shawn for years, well before she was an Olympic gold medalist, and she's remained the same Shawn throughout – engaging, genuine, and humble,” said Chris Korotky, President of Inside Cheerleading magazine. “I'm so glad the public had the opportunity to get to know Shawn during the Olympic Games and during her time on Dancing with the Stars. I know those attending CHEERSPORT will enjoy her involvement with the event and we couldn't be more pleased to have her sign autographs at our booth as well.”

At the 2008 Olympic Games, Johnson earned the gold medal on balance beam, along with three silver medals in the individual all-around, floor exercise, and team events. Shawn was the 79th Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Sullivan Award recipient, one of the most prestigious honors in amateur sports. Johnson became the youngest contestant on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" where she won the coveted Mirror Ball! Earlier this year, Forbes magazine reported that a research study showed that Shawn Johnson was America's most-liked sports figure.

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