With the 2016 Olympics quickly approaching, athletes from all over the world are preparing to bring back gold for their home countries. From basketball and fencing to football and swimming – Rio is soon to be taken over by champions in a number of sport categories. One woman who knows what it feels like to be an Olympic Champion is Nastia Luikin who is a gold medalist in gymnastics.
Seemingly set to be a gymnast from birth, both parents were champion gymnasts who then became coaches, Nastia was brought up in the gym. New to America, her parents were unable to afford childcare which meant as they worked, Nastia found the gym to be her own personal stage. Her biography states her parents never pointed her in the direction of competitive gymnastics, knowing it was very difficult, but her natural born talent was hard to ignore and by age 12 – she was an elite gymnast. That was just the beginning of her journey.
From 2003 to 2006 she won a number of championships but perhaps her greatest win was in 2008 at the Beijing games when she was named the all-around Olympic champion! She finished her competitive career with nine world medals and five Olympic medals, the second-highest total amount of any U.S. gymnast!
Nastia’s story is an inspiring one, and you can read about more of her achievements, how she came back from an injury, and how she incorporates gymnastics into her life even after she ended her competitive career here.
With the 2016 Olympics fast approaching, Nastia is preparing to go to Rio as a commentator for NBC and she’s also working with Coca-Cola on their #ThatsGold campaign! Nastia told us a little bit about both and we’re even more excited for the Olympic games now than we were before.
Gymnastics has always been one of our favorite sports to watch at the Olympic Games, tweet us at @CelebMix and tell us some of yours and don’t forget to get involved with #ThatsGold and share your special moments too!