There’s something deeply emotional about watching someone rediscover why they fell in love with their sport in the first place. That’s exactly what happens in SOARING, the inspiring new short documentary stars Shawn Johnson East, three-time World Champion and four-time Olympic medalist whose gymnastics career made her a household name, as she mentors three female Special Olympics gymnasts chasing their dreams ahead of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
The film, presented by RED BARON, is now streaming on YouTube and at RED BARON SOARING, and it may be one of the most uplifting sports documentaries audiences will watch this year.
Known around the world for her gravity-defying performances during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Johnson East steps into a very different role in SOARING: mentor, narrator, and emotional guide for athletes Paige Trombley, Elizabeth “Liz” Viele, and Jenny Hill as they prepare for one of the biggest moments of their lives.
But the film quickly becomes more than a documentary about gymnastics.
It’s about fear. Confidence. Pressure. Resilience. And remembering why sports matter at all.
Soaring Cast RED BARON®
“These athletes don’t just inspire people around them, they inspire me,” Johnson East says in the film. “Watching Paige, Liz, and Jenny chase their goals reminded me of everything I love about this sport and why it matters.”
For Johnson East, the project clearly hit close to home.
“Even when I was competing it was not about success. It was not about the Olympics. It was not about becoming someone,” she shares during one of the documentary’s most vulnerable moments. “I just wanted to have fun and I was still obsessed with that feeling.”
The honesty throughout SOARING is what makes it stand apart from a traditional sports feature. Johnson East openly discusses stage fright, the pressure of competing in front of millions, and the mental battle athletes face every time they step onto the floor.
Soaring presented by RED BARON RED BARON®
“It’s also a terrifying sport and the margin of error is so small if you do one thing wrong,” she says. “It takes a certain mindset to drown out the doubts and what ifs and if I fall.”
The three athletes at the center of the film each bring powerful personal stories that make the documentary impossible to stop watching.
Paige Trombley is fighting her way back from injury while trying to reclaim her confidence in competition. Liz Viele, who has competed in Special Olympics since the 1990s across multiple sports, is finally making her USA Games gymnastics debut after decades of dedication and training. And Jenny Hill, once nonverbal comments how she now can’t stop talking and credits the Special Olympics with helping her find not only athletic success but also her voice.
The chemistry between the women and Johnson East gives the film its emotional heart.
One of the documentary’s standout moments comes when Johnson East surprises the athletes in person for an unscripted conversation about fear, self-doubt, and what it really means to believe in yourself.
SOARING, Presented by RED BARON, feels like a reminder of what athletics are supposed to represent: joy, courage, growth, and community.
The documentary also arrives just ahead of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, which will take place June 20–26 throughout Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Nearly 3,000 athletes from all 50 states are expected to compete in 16 Olympic-style sports, making it one of the country’s largest sporting events this year.
But even for viewers who know nothing about gymnastics, SOARING delivers something universal.
It’s about learning how to keep going after setbacks. It’s about finding confidence when fear creeps in. And most importantly, it’s about the people who remind us who we are when we forget ourselves.
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games run June 20–26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. SOARING is streaming now on YouTube and at redbaron.com/soaring.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.usmagazine.com ’
