Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Yay Shannon!

Miller expecting first child
04/28/2009
© ShannonMiller.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 28, 2009 – Shannon Miller, the USA’s most decorated gymnast with 16 total world and Olympic medals, and her husband John Falconetti, a Florida businessman, are expecting their first child in early November.

"My husband and I are so excited to begin the wonderful adventures of parenthood. We couldn't be happier!" said Miller, 32, in a “People” magazine online story. "I already feel that incredible 'mama bear' protectiveness toward our baby. Each day I wake up wondering what our baby looks like today, how much he or she has grown, and anticipating the fun and surprises that lie ahead."

Miller has won more Olympic and World Championship medals than any other U.S. gymnast. She earned seven Olympic and nine World Championships medals during her career. Her tally of five medals (two silver, three bronze) at the 1992 Olympic Games was the most medals won by a U.S. athlete in Barcelona, Spain. During her career, Miller won an astounding 58 international and 49 national competition medals, with more than half gold. A member of two U.S. Olympic Teams, Miller was part of the “Magnificent Seven,” the first U.S. women’s gymnastics team to win an Olympic team gold medal, at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She also became the first American gymnast to win an individual gold medal on the balance beam in 1996. Miller is a member of seven halls of fame, including the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame, International Women's Sports Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

Miller received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and entrepreneurship from the University of Houston and a law degree from Boston College. In 2007, she began the Shannon Miller Foundation, which is dedicated to fighting childhood obesity. Miller was named to the Florida Sports Foundation Board of Directors in 2008 and was appointed co-chair of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness in 2007.

Miller and Falconetti were married in 2007.



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