It had to happen.

After days of disappointing finishes, Shawn Johnson finally claimed a gold medal at National Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, winning the individual beam on the final night of gymnastics competition at the Beijing Games.

Accepting her prize, the 16-year-old Iowan flashed the smile that long has charmed her classmates at Valley High School in West Des Moines, a smile that had begun to fade when she finished second in all-around, gymnastics' signature event.

"To finally get the gold on my very last routine, it meant the world," said Johnson, who also finished second in floor and team competition. "It's the perfect ending to the story.

"This moment feels better than I thought it ever would because I've gone through a lot of hard times this week. I fulfilled my dream, and it means more to me than anything."

Johnson scored a 16.225 to edge teammate Nastia Liukin, who leaves Beijing with five medals, tying an American record at one Olympics held by Mary Lou Retton (1984). Cheng Fei of China took the bronze.

The U.S. women won eight medals overall - two more than China - and two golds, tying the Chinese. The U.S. men's and women's teams combined for 10 medals (two gold, six silver, two bronze), the most for a Games outside the U.S.

Johnson practiced her routine seven times Tuesday afternoon, battling a headache and fatigue. But she seemed rejuvenated when Li Shanshan of China slipped while attempting a full twisting backward flip.

Finishing second in all-around to Liukin was a hard blow to Johnson, who nonetheless hung onto her grace and confidence when others might have pouted or crumpled.

"I'm totally, fantastically happy because she needed that," women's team coordinator Martha Karolyi said. "She was a little frustrated by not winning the all-around. This has to make her feel very good about herself and for the future. We could see she was down a little bit."

Women's balance beam: 1. Shawn Johnson, West Des Moines, Iowa, 16.225. 2. Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas, 16.025. 3. Cheng Fei, China, 15.950. 4. Anna Pavlova, Russia, 15.900. 5. Gabriela Dragoi, Romania, 15.625. 6. Li Shanshan, China, 15.300. 7. Ksenia Afanasyeva, Russia, 14.825. 8. Koko Tsurumi, Japan, 14.450.