Brandy Johnson (USA)
1986 North Shore Invitational: 1st AA, 1st V, 1st
FX
1987 Chunichi Cup: 2nd BB
1987 Junior US National Championships: 1st AA
1988 International Mixed Pairs (with S. Johnson):
10th T
1988 US National Championships: 6th AA, 3rd (Tie) V,
2nd FX
1988 Olympic Games: 4th T, 10th AA
1989 US World Championship Team Trials: 1st AA
1989 World Championships: 7th AA, 2nd V
1989 US National Championships: 1st AA, 1st V, 5th
UB, 1st BB, 1st FX
1989 USA vs. USSR: 1st AA
1989 Cottbus Cup: 1st AA
1989 Cottbus Cup (Mixed Pairs portion): 3rd T (with
Scott Burr)
1989 American Cup: 1st AA
1990 World Cup: 5th, 6th UB, 7th BB, 8th FX
1990 US National Championships: 3rd AA, 1st V, 1st FX
Born April 30, 1973 in Tallahassee, Florida, Brandy Johnson
demonstrated that she was a strong contender for the 1988 US
Olympic Team when she finished first in the Junior division at
the 1987 US National Championships. She went on to make the 1988
Olympic Team and was the highest all around finisher for the
United States with her 10th place finish.
The
post-Olympic year was a wonderful one for Brandy. Having transferred
to Bela Karolyi's in the months leading up to the Olympic trials,
she moved back to her long-term coaches Kevin Brown and Jeff Wood, immediately
following the Olympics. With Olympic experience "under her
belt," Brandy excelled, winning most of the competitions she
entered that year (US Nationals, USA vs USSR, Cottbus Cup, etc.). Despite a few
uncharacteristic mistakes at the 1989 World
Championships team competition, Brandy earned a 7th
place finish in the All Around and a silver medal on
vault. Following the 1990 World Cup, at the age of
17, Brandy announced her retirement and her
engagement to Bill Scharpf, a former professional waterskiier.
Despite an unsuccessful comeback for Barcelona, Brandy has had
continued success in the sport of gymnastics. She competed in the 1991 Professional Championships
against the likes of Natalia Yurchenko and Aurelia Dobre. She planned to
participate in 1992 post-Olympic tour, but unfortunately was injured while
preparing for the tour.
In 1994 Brandy she earned her level 8 judging license,
improving on this through the years to the point of being able to judge at the
1998 Professional
Championships. Coaching has also been a part of Brandy's
post-competitive life. She began coaching at Brown's Gymnastics Metro (now
Orlando Metro Gymnastics) eventually opening a separate Brown's Gymnastics facility in Clermont, FL with her husband.
Also, following her
husband's lead, Brandy has performed as a stunt
double in various movies and television episodes.
Despite her newfound
activities, Brandy's Olympic passion burned on. In an effort to
compete again moving towards the 1996 Olympics, she began training at Broadway Gym in Winter
Springs, FL. The comeback was unsuccessful.
In August 2000 she was inducted into the USA
Gymnastics Hall of Fame, although she will not make the trip to Boston to attend
for the formal dinner as she'd recently given birth to her first child, daughter
Sydney.
. This page was created on February 13, 1999 and last updated on August 11, 2000.
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