New Faces: Sydney Johnson-Scharpf (USA)

Sydney Johnson-Scharpf is the 12 year-old daughter of Brandy Johnson-Scharpf, a US Olympian from 1988. Sydney was born in 2000 and named in honour of the Olympic Games held that year. She is a level-10 gymnast and trains at her Mother's gym in Florida. At the Eastern Nationals in 2012, she placed first on beam and second on vault, floor and all-around.

Sydney Johnson-Scharpf, a first year level 10 (credit: Sydney's website)

Sydney displays her flexibility on beam at the 2012 Eastern Nationals

Her favourite event is floor, where she has an amazing presence for such a young gymnast. There are some things in gymnastics that you just can't teach, either you've got it, or you don't! Perhaps gymnastics talent does run in the family, I mean- look at the Liukins! I feel as though the Johnson-Scharpf story is going to be one that commentators will LOVE. She is aware that people look at her differently because she is the daughter of a famous gymnast, although she still feels 'the same as everyone else'!

See the interview with her here after she qualified for the 2013 Nastia Liukin Cup.

Sydney performed recently at the 2013 Nastia Liukin Cup, which is a J.O competition held in the same arena as the American Cup. Sydney was one of the youngest performers there and competed in the Junior division. After a mistake on bars at the start of the competition, Sydney came back to perform an excellent beam routine earning a massive 9.7, which placed her second on the event. Not bad for a kid in her first year of level 10! Although she may not have placed as high as she could have, she gained valuable competitive experience in that moment and certainly proved that she is a fighter.

Here is her delightful floor routine from the 2013 Nastia Liukin Cup

In her spare time she enjoys shopping, driving her golf cart and doing science experiment- this kid is going far! It will be great to see Sydney's gymnastics developing over the next few years and hopefully we will see her on the elite scene before to long. She is set to attend her first gymnastics camp at the Karolyi Ranch at the conclusion of the American Cup.

Sydney Johnson-Scharpf's Website

Article by Imogen Browne (@IFlip4GymBlog)