Nastia Liukin Olympics 2012: U.S. Gymnast Embodies America's Spirit at Games

Nastia Liukin Olympics 2012: U.S. Gymnast Embodies America's Spirit at Games

Nastia Liukin

Throughout her life, Nastia Liukin has set goals and achieved the bulk of them. however when the Russian-American gymnast suffered a horrible fall at the Olympic trials on July first, she learned the foremost valuable lesson of her life.

The video is jolting. however the dead silence of failure was quickly overcome by 2 human responses. One was a way of relief that Liukin was okay, whereas the opposite was that of inspiration due to what she did next.

America can always remember Liukin's determination to raise herself up and brush herself off. She may be a fighter, and to the current day she continues to try and do simply that.

After a three-year layoff, Liukin didn't build the team for the 2012 London Games, however it's not stopped her from being the face of Team USA.

In a fascinating show of strength and character, she has represented America on numerous levels, whereas rooting for the red, white and blue.

During the Olympic's gap weekend, Liukin was front and center, with appearances nose to nose, on camera and within the digital world of social media. She interviewed with Matt Lauer, wrote her initial blog with NBCOlympics.com, attended initial girl Michelle Obama's event referred to as "Let's Move" and have become the spokesperson and model for TIGI Haircare USA.

She additionally showed what quantity she cares for the team she was once captain of.

"I couldn’t be additional excited to cheer on Team USA," Liukin wrote on her blog. "It’s been such a thrill on behalf of me to observe Jordyn, Gabby, Aly, McKayla and Kyla progress through the years and currently the complete world can get to visualize simply how gifted these ladies really are."

Liukin is aware of the way to represent herself and Team America at the Olympic Games as a result of she may be a wily veteran.

In 2008, she created the Olympic team in Beijing, China, and won 5 medals, as well as the gold within the All-Around competition. consistent with Wikipedia, "Liukin is simply the third feminine gymnast to win Gold within the event." By capturing 5 Beijing medals, Liukin also "tied Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Miller for the foremost gymnastics medals won by an yank in a very single Olympic Games."

But when it involves describing herself, Liukin points out flaws rather than the boldness and wonder that resonates from her.

During an interview with Woman's Day at the Beijing Games, she mentioned another failure as her favorite competitive memory at the time.

In 2002, after I was twelve, I competed in my initial Junior Nationals. I fell off the uneven bars throughout the primary rotation and hurt my right elbow; I wasn’t ready to complete the routine. however I fought to complete the competition, and even supposing I solely got a score of half dozen.8, created my initial Junior National team. This was one amongst my proudest moments within the sport.

A lot is going on to Liukin since. a number of it has been smart, and a few of it has been dangerous. however she perpetually sees the sunshine at the tip of the tunnel, and he or she appreciates people who have stuck behind her through thick and skinny.

"Seeing all of the thousands of individuals on their feet, you could not have arranged a far better thanks to finish a career," Liukin told Associated Press author can Graves, in reference to her fall at the Olympic trials.

knew that I had little doubt in my mind i used to be planning to pop out here and end and walk out of here on my terms.

And now, simply 2 months later, Liukin is back, with a smile that lights up London. Her charm is contagious, and he or she hopes to is a task model for others to lean on.

"Getting up once a fall is rarely straightforward," said Liukin, in her AP interview "It's perpetually terribly robust. It shows your true character if you're ready to get up"

In the meantime, she'll keep the memory of her most up-to-date failure shut, as a result of it'll inevitably result in her next achievement.

"Many times in life it’s not regarding the triumph. It extremely is how you handle the struggles," Liukin blogged. "I learned lots regarding myself that day."