Golden Girl

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Long before the opening ceremonies begin, Shawn Johnson has already been dubbed the It Girl of the Beijing Games. National champ, world champ, and all-around superstar, this 16-year-old West Des Moines, Iowa native is awash in endorsement deals and interview requests.

“It’s great,” Johnson says of the pre-Olympic media firestorm. “I love being able to answer questions. I remember being the girl who always had questions. I love the attention.”

Yep, Shawn Johnson is already a star. She has her own couture leotard line with signature “SJ” initials in rhinestones along the arm—“she claims not [to care], but I think she gives it more thought than she would let on,” mom Teri says of Shawn’s sartorial choices—contracts with big-time Olympic sponsors like Coca-Cola and McDonalds, and a series of tear-jerking NBC promotional spots designed to draw in even more fans during the Games.

“I don’t think it will sink in, not for a while,” Johnson says, laughing off all the attention. “Not until I’m back home from Beijing. Maybe not even then. … It’s all kind of a blur, but it feels great. I can’t wait for it to really hit home.”