Video: Shawn reveals her secret crush";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Bridget Sloan","Gymnast Bridget Sloan, 16, told TODAY that \"to be on the U.S. team is such an honor.\"","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Bridget-Sloan.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Al Bello", "Getty Images", "273", "293", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'I've learned a whole lot'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
\"Alicia and Nastia and Chellsie just have so much experience under their belts, so just being around them you learn so much. I’ve learned a whole lot since I’ve been here and hopefully if I keep going I will put that into perspective.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Nastia Liukin","Gymnast Nastia Liukin poses with her gold medal after winning the women's all-around gymnastics event.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/nastia-Liukin%20.vlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Kristian Dowling", "Getty Images", "358", "266", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'We're all proud of each other'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
\"Winning an Olympic medal means so much to all of us. Yeah, some people think that we’re disappointed and a gold would have been better, but an Olympic medal is an Olympic medal and nothing can beat that. So we’re all proud of each other.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Chellsie Memmel","Gymnast Chellsie Memmel embraces a member of the women's Chinese gymnastics team after the team final event in Beijing.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/chelsie_memmel.hmedium.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Al Bello", "Getty Images", "273", "384", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'Focus on your goals'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
\"Things happen, injuries happen and life isn’t fair. It doesn’t always go your way this time, but you have to push through it and focus on your goals and what you want to do.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Alicia Sacramone","Gymnast Alicia Sacramone took a tumble during the artistic gymnastics team event in Beijing.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/alicia-sacramone.vlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "d8d0c1ee-68c6-4293-b0bb-2d185f34490b|", "", "", "Al Bello", "Getty Images", "358", "236", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'Nobody's perfect'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
\"I’ve definitely learned that nobody’s perfect, and in a sport where you’re driving for perfection it’s difficult sometimes to understand that you make mistakes and you have to look past that. Because in the end you’ve accomplished so much. I’ve definitely learned that it takes patience and time to get to this level and I feel honored to be here and part of this team.\"
Video: Sacramone: 'Nerves' got me
";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Dara Torres","Dara Torres after winning the silver medal in the women's 50m freestyle final in Beijing.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/dara-torres.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Jeff Gross", "Getty Images", "273", "410", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'I have a lot of experience'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Torres made history by winning three silver medals at the age of 41.
\"I learned I have a lot of experience,\" Torres said at the end of her fifth Olympic Games. \"There are times when I felt extremely nervous and very sick to my stomach, but I guess I know how to channel that energy, and the minute I get behind the block I'm ready to go and the nervousness just goes away. I think that comes with experience.\"
Video: Torres, Coughlin make history";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Samantha Peszek","Gymnast Samantha Peszek competes on the balance beam during day two of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for gymnastics in Philadelphia.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Samantha-Peszek.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Al Bello", "Getty Images", "273", "267", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'I just kept cheering them'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
\"I was told my role and part in this team has changed. I was geared more toward the motivational part of the team and that’s just what I did. I just kept cheering them, of course I wanted the best for them because it’s my team too. ... But not to be out there doing it yourself is a little bit hard.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Becca Ward","Fencer Becca Ward shows off her silver medal after the fencing sabre event.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Becca_Ward.vlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Kristian Dowling", "Getty Images", "273", "190", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'Remember the love of the sport'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Ward was a favorite for the gold entering Beijing. After losing to teammate Mariel Zaguinis in the semifinals, she came back to win her bronze medal match. Ward earned a second bronze in the team sabre event.
\"I've learned that expectations can be really difficult thing to live up to and that it doesn't matter where you are, you just have to remember what got you there and remember the love of the sport,\" she said. \"I love the game of fencing. I love being on the strip and knowing exactly what I'm going to do and being able to do it perfectly no matter what my opponent does. I love that ability to confuse my opponent. I love the game aspect of it.\"
Feature: Will medalists make fencing the new baseball?
";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Mariel Zagunis","Fencer Mariel Zagunis glows after winning the gold medal in the fencing sabre event.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Mariel-Zagunis.vlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Kristian Dowling", "Getty Images", "358", "261", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'It's taught me about myself'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Zagunis’s gold in Athens was one of the big surprises of the games, as she only joined the team at the last minute after another athlete declined her invitation. Despite proving herself with her gold-medal performance, Zagunis, 23, still entered Beijing as an underdog with a sixth-place seed.
\"It's taught me a lot about myself and about my dedication, fencing or otherwise. It's also taught me a lot about my supporters and my close group of people who really have helped me out along the way.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Sada Jacobson","Fencer Sada Jacobson poses after winning the bronze medal in the fencing sabre event.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Sada-Jacobson.vlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Kristian Dowling", "Getty Images", "358", "250", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'You have to be patient'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Jacobson won bronze in Athens when women’s sabre debuted on the Olympic stage, and stayed around for the next four years for a chance to compete in Beijing. She said her journey has taught her the value of patience.
\"In the literal sense, we recently had a rule change in fencing where the timing has changed, so in order to be an effective fencer you have to be a lot more patient and methodical in the things you are doing on the strip,\" she said. \"But it's also in every other area you have to be patient. There's so much traveling and competition that leads up to these games. I've had to be patient in the sense that I've kind of put my life on hold for the last two-and-a-half years.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Raj Bhavsar","Artistic gymnast Raj Bhavsar after his performance on the still rings during the men's preliminaries of the U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Team Trials in Anaheim, Calif.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Raj-Bhavsar.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Jed Jacobsohn", "Getty Images", "273", "289", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'Never' give up in life","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Bhavasar, an alternate in 2004, felt defeated after watching his teammates from the stands in Athens and didn't know if he would stick with gymnastics.
\"I felt like giving up on a dream,\" he said. \"I began to read so many stories about people having gone through situations like this where they took things emotionally tough and felt like giving up, and I can't remember how many success stories I began to read of people digging down deep and giving it that one more ounce of effort when they've had nothing else to give and I decided to try that. I decided, why not. What's left to lose? I'm already at the bottom so things can only get better.\"
In addition to the value of never giving up, Bhavsar also found a set of principles to live by both inside and outside the gym.
\"In 2005 I didn't enjoy myself as a person. I noticed myself changing and treating people a little bit differently, maybe being a little more selfish ... I couldn't take it anymore and I finally said I don't like who I am and I'm going to put myself back in the driver's seat.
\"So those two things, never giving up in life and finding a higher purpose, almost finding some principle or a type of mentorship to live by.\"
Video: U.S. male gymnasts win bronze
";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Jason Lezak","Swimmer Jason Lezak prepares to compete in the men's 100m freestyle swimming heat in Beijing.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/jason-lezak.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Timothy Clary", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "328", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'Try to keep positive'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Kristian Dowling", "Getty Images", "110", "140", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
At 32, Lezak was the oldest male American swimmer in Beijing. His bronze in the 100m freestyle was his first individual medal in his three Olympic Games, but most will remember him for his anchor leg in the 4x100 m relay, a race being hailed as one of the greatest moments in sports history.
\"On this trip I learned being positive and having fun really makes a difference. \"It's a long trip away from home and sometimes it can get a little tedious and you've just got to remain focused. The goal was to win medals at the Olympics and any kind of distractions can ruin that -- so try to keep positive.\"
Video: Jason Lezak's golden rescue";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Brendan Hansen","Swimmer Brendan Hansen of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 4x100m medley relay in Beijing.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/brendan-hansen.vlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Al Bello", "Getty Images", "358", "246", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'It's just been an awesome ride'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Hansen won gold in the 4x100m medley relay, but failed to medal in the 100m breaststroke.
\"I think you learn that in the end it's not about individual efforts; it's not about individual golds. What you're really going to take away from a trip is the team and the little things, the little pranks you play on each other and the fun things that lead up to the games,\" Hansen said. \"What makes the Olympics special are the friends and family that you have along the way. It's just been an awesome ride.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Eric Shanteau","Swimmer Eric Shanteau competed in Beijing despite just learning of his testicular cancer.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Eric-Shanteau.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Timothy A. Clary", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "350", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'Roll with the punches'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
A week after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, Shanteau earned a spot on Team USA when he touched out defending Olympic bronze medalist Brendan Hansen to take second in the 200m breaststroke at trials. While his Olympic run ended in the semifinals, he said he had already won by making the team in the first place.
\"You've got to roll with the punches,\" Shanteau said. \"You've got to take the cards you get, and go from there. Brendan Hansen recently said a person's true character isn't revealed in victory, it's revealed in defeat. I think it's not necessarily defeat but adversity. When you're faced with a lot of these challenges, it's a chance for someone to define himself and figure out who they are as a person.\"
Video: U.S. swimmer faces new battle ";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Garrett Weber-Gale","Swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale reacts with teammate Michael Phelps after winning the men's 4x100m freestyle relay. ","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/garrett-weber-gale.vlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Timothy Clary", "AFP/Getty Images", "354", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'Take it with the flow'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Weber-Gale said being a part of the record-breaking 4x100m relay, which is being called one of the greatest sports moments of all time, was the best thing he's ever done in his life. However, he was disappointed to leave Beijing without an individual medal.
\"I've learned that it's difficult to set really high expectations for yourself because a lot of times you're going to be disappointed,\" Webber-Gale said. \"But also setting those high expectations is what helps you get here. Coming into this I wanted to win four medals hoping they were going to be gold … I realized after the fact that was a really high expectation, a lot of pressure on myself and I learned you've got to take it with the flow. Sometimes you're going to have good races, sometimes you're going to have not- so-good races. You've got to take that for what it's worth and learn from it and just move on. If you have a bad race, don't let it get you down. You can still have another good one.\"";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Stephanie Brown Trafton","Stephanie Brown Trafton celebrates after winning gold in the women's discus throw final. ","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Stephanie-Brown-Trafton.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Valery Hache", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "395", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'There's a plan for everybody'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
Brown Trafton only finished third at Olympic Trials and entered Beijing as an underdog. Her first throw in the Bird's Nest earned her the first American gold medal in women's discus since 1932.
\"I learned that you can have a dream and work hard and have faith that the plan is going to come into fruition,\" Brown Trafton said. \"There's a plan for everybody, and I knew this was part of a plan. I stuck to the preparation part and I was rewarded with a gold medal. I was at the right place and lived up to my potential as an athlete.\"
Video: Discus thrower on 'awesome' gold";
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","Tim Morehouse","Keeth Smart, James Williams, Jason Rogers and Tim Morehouse after taking silver in team fencing.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Today%20SPECIAL%20SERIES/2008/Olympics%20Beijing/Journey%20SS/Tim-Morehouse.hlarge.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Kristian Dowling", "Getty Images", "273", "390", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i++] = new Array("","'You have to be yourself'","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_Oly_Gymnasts[i-1].body = "
\"One thing I've learned along this whole way is that it really is about being yourself and figuring out what your strengths are and going with it,\" Morehouse said.
For years, coaches tried to correct Morehouses' unconventional fencing style, but after almost missing the national team a few year ago, Morehouse decided to embrace his natural instincts.
\"I started doing the unorthodox things that I did and it worked more and more,\" he said. \"If there's anything I take away, it's that you have to be yourself.\"
Video: U.S. fencing team wins silver"; // END editorial data