• Photo Gallery from the trip to Italy

JESOLO, Italy, March 8, 2008 – The United States won the team titles for both the junior and senior divisions at the Italy-Spain-Poland-USA friendly competition in Jesolo, Italy. The USA’s Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Jordyn Wieber of Dewitt, Mich., won the all-around titles in the senior and junior divisions, respectively.

On the senior level, the USA bested runner-up Italy, 179.050 to 177.950. Spain was third at 151.050, with Poland scoring 150.100. The women on the USA’s senior squad were: Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla./Bieger International Gymnastics; Olivia Courtney, Orlando/Orlando Metro; Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas/Texas Dreams; Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind./DeVeau’s Gymnastics; Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics Academy; and Johnson, who trains at Chow’s Gymnastics.

In the all-around, 2007 world all-around champion Johnson posted a 61.700 to outscore 2006 world all-around champion Vanessa Ferrari of Italy, who earned a 60.100. The USA’s Peszek was third at 59.050. Johnson had the highest score on three of the events: 15.200, vault; 16.200, balance beam; and 15.000 on floor. Peszek’s four event scores were: 14.850, vault; 15.050, uneven bars; 14.750, balance beam; and 14.400, floor exercise. Davis was sixth in the all-around at 57.700 and Courtney was ninth at 56.000. Bieger competed on two events, uneven bars and beam.

The USA easily out-pointed second-place Italy in the junior team competition, winning 181.050 to 172.100. Romania was third at 166.000, followed by Spain at 158.400. The U.S. junior team consisted of: Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE; Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas/WOGA; Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles, All-Olympian Gymnastics Center; Morgan Smith, Clermont, Fla./Brandy Johnson’s Global Gymnastics; Jordyn Wieber, Dewitt, Mich., Twiststars USA

In the junior all-around, the USA’s Wieber and Bross finished one-two, 60,900 to 60.500. Italy’s Paola Galante was third at 58.300. For the United States, Clark was fourth at 57.350; Shapiro fifth at 57.00; and Smith ninth at 55.800. Wieber’s four event scores were: 15.050, vault; 15.350, uneven bars; 15.700, balance beam; and 14.800, floor exercise. Bross posted: 15.200, vault; 15.100, bars; 15.050, beam; and 15.150, floor. Wieber earned the highest scores on bars and beam, with Bross getting the top marks for vault and floor.

Italy-Spain-Poland-USA
Jesolo, Italy
March 8, 2008

Team
1. USA 179.050
2. Italy 177.950
3. Spain 151.050
4. Poland 150.100

All-around
1. Shawn Johnson, West Des Moine, Iowa, 61.700
2. Vanessa Ferrari, Italy, 60.100
3. Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., 59.050
4. Lia Parolari, Italy, 58.300
5. Carlotta Giovannini, Italy, 58.250
6. Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas, 57.700
7. Lenika De Simone, Spain, 57.150
8. Francesca Benolli, Italy, 56.450
9. Olivia Courtney, Orlando, Fla., 56.000
10. Monica Bergamelli, Italy, 55.500

Junior division
Italy-Spain-Romania-USA
 

Team
1. USA, 181.050
2. Italy, 172.100
3. Romania, 166.00
4. Spain, 158.400