Gymnastics: Nastia Liukin interview

usagymnasticd.org has interviewed nastia just to catchup on what she has been doing latley:)


Nastia Liukin’s total of five medals at the 2008 Olympic Games tied the U.S. gymnastics record for most medals in one Olympic Games, currently held by Mary Lou Retton (1984) and Shannon Miller (1992). Liukin’s medals are: gold – all-around; silver – team, balance beam and uneven bars; and bronze – floor exercise. Liukin is just the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic all-around crown. She has won nine world medals (four gold and five silver), which ties the mark of nine world medals held by Shannon Miller, who has earned more world and Olympic medals than any other U.S. gymnast (16 total). Liukin was a member of the 2007 World Championships that won the team gold medal, which was the U.S. women's second world team title in U.S. history. She is the 2005-06 U.S. all-around champion. Liukin is coached by her father, Valeri, who has four Olympic medals from 1988, including two gold.
Liukin’s life has been a whirlwind since Beijing and she has attended New York’s Fashion Week, modeled for designer Max Azria and designed a clothing line for Vanilla Jeans. Although she is still in high demand for appearances and clinics, she has returned to training full-time for the 2009 Visa Championships, which are in her hometown of Dallas.
USA Gymnastics recently caught up with Liukin to ask about the Olympic Games, her life post-Beijing and her future plans.
What is your favorite memory from China?
Being able to be part of Team USA! It was the most amazing experience of my life! Living in the village was so cool, too. And of course winning five medals at my first Olympic Games.
How has life changed since the Olympic Games?
My life has gotten so much busier. I am traveling a lot for appearances, shows, clinics and photo shoots, and I’m meeting a lot of people. I love every minute of it and am still in shock sometimes when I think about it!
Have you seen any of your Olympic teammates since the tour ended?
Yes, I have seen them all quite a bit. We all stay in touch on a regular basis. We created such a strong bond throughout the years that will never go away. It was a very special team we had this year.
What has been your favorite thing you have done since the Olympic Games?Modeling for Max Azria, (being guests on) Oprah with the whole Olympic Team, (being a guest on) Jay Leno and (performing in) the Tour of Gymnastics Superstars.
You have modeled for Max Azria and designed a fashion line for Vanilla Star. Are you interested in a career in the fashion industry?I love fashion, and yes, I would love to do more things in the industry. Up until now, I haven't had too much time for that, so it’s nice to have time to try different things!
Do you want to pursue modeling?I think it would be very fun. It’s something I enjoy doing, but as of right now, my priority is definitely still gymnastics. So the modeling can either wait or just be a sideline thing!
Modeling is said to be hard work – how difficult was it with the Max Azria shoots?It was actually not too difficult! The whole shoot took seven hours, including hair and makeup.
Have any of the opportunities you have enjoyed given you insight into what you might want to do long-term?
Possibly modeling or acting. But also I want to stay involved in gymnastics for the rest of my life. It has gotten me all of these amazing opportunities!
Are you still traveling quite a bit?Yes, I’m still traveling, but not as much as the last eight months. I'm REALLY trying hard to keep it to a minimum and mostly on weekends. That way I don't miss training.
Have you had a break? Were you able to go on vacation?
I didn't really take a vacation yet. But I was able to get a break from full-time training with all the traveling I did. But now I'm back in the gym and back to my normal schedule!
You finally went to Paris, correct? How was it? What things did you do/see?
I LOVED Paris! It’s always been on my "places to visit" list. I went with my mom and dad. We stayed in a beautiful hotel and our view was the Eiffel Tower! We were only there for two days, but we just walked around a lot, ate great food and went shopping, of course.
You have been all over the world for competitions and appearances. What is your favorite international city?
Melbourne, Australia.
What is your favorite U.S. city?
Los Angeles!
How is school?
I have actually decided to take a break from classes to concentrate fully on training and getting back in shape. It was a little hard with training and especially traveling. But I hope when things slow down, I can start back up.
How is training going?
It was a little frustrating because I have never taken more then just three days off. After almost six months of not training intensely, it was a little hard getting back into it. But it just takes time and I had to be patient. Gymnastics is something I have a passion for and I love, and I know if I put my heart and mind to it, "impossible is nothing."
What’s your typical day like?
I wake up at 6:30 a.m. and go running before training. Then I train from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. I then have lunch, run errands or help my mom with anything she needs, and take a little rest. Then training again from 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Are you excited to have the Visa Championships in Dallas?
I am SO excited for the Visa Championships to be in Dallas!!! I can't wait! Texas, especially Dallas, is a huge hot spot for gymnastics. I am hoping a lot of fans will come out and enjoy the weekend of great gymnastics! I've never had a big competition in front of a home crowd, so I'm excited but I know I will be nervous, too.
What are your future goals for gymnastics?
I would love to compete at the World Championships this year in London in October. The 2012 Olympics are a little more than three years away. Time is flying by already! I am taking it one year at a time, but the Olympics are, once again, in the back of my mind as a long-term goal.
What is your favorite gymnastics memory?My favorite gymnastics memory is becoming the Olympic all-around champion. I will never forget that feeling of hearing my name next to those words


Well it looks like she will be training for 2012...YAY!!!! i'd love to see her defend her all-around title:D