Gymnast Shawn Johnson, a former Olympic gold medalist, spoke Friday in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center Auditorium to tell the story of her success and the obstacles that came with it.

After winning season eight of “Dancing with the Stars” and having her book “Winning Balance” published, the gymnast uplifted her audience by stressing the fact that she is just a normal person.

“People kind of put me on a pedestal sometimes, but I’m the same exact person as they are and I’m struggling with the same things,” Johnson said. “I feel like you can always find someone to relate to and help you out.”

Fans of the Olympian came to listen to her talk about the hardships and challenges she faced on her road to success, including how winning the silver medal in the all-around competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing made her stronger.

Johnson said that after winning the silver medal, the media doubted her career and effort.

“Something I loved about the Olympics and about getting that silver medal is that I had to really question in my heart and to myself ‘are you good enough?’” she said.

Johnson talked about how her faith led her entire career and continued to lead her into retiring just before the 2012 Olympics due to a knee injury.

“I swear God talked to me, and it was like every ounce of grief and distress and fear and anger and everything inside of me was just gone,” Johnson said. “I’m done, and it’s OK to be done.”

Johnson went on to give motivation to those facing similar challenges.

“I feel like injuries kind of test your will and test your strength,” Johnson said. “It’s just about fighting through it and being stronger when you come through it.”

After Johnson finished sharing her story, eager fans waited to meet their role model, take pictures and receive autographs.

Junior Robert Hamp said he thinks Johnson is a good role model because she “never really got too into her fame.”

Michele Hauge, the mother of a St. Thomas student, said her favorite part of the speech was “the lesson about being second.”

“That was very pivotal and about how her faith played such an instrumental part of her walk,” Hauge continued. “She has integrity in all of her decisions and how she faces the challenges she meets.”

Johnson is currently a business student online at Penn State and is hoping to use her degree to help her succeed and learn more about the business world she is already living in.

The former athlete works for NIKE as an ambassador and trainer and is getting ready to launch a new book, as well as speaking at events around the country.

Johnson hinted to the audience she is starting to train for something related to gymnastics but said it won’t happen until sometime next year.

Rachel Weiss can be reached at weis3565@stthomas.edu.