Nastia Liukin, Retired USA Olympic Gymnast, Shares Her Training And Love For The Sport [VIDEO EXCLUSIVE]

US Olympic Gold Medalist Nastia Liukin Reveals… by uSports

Retired U.S. Olympic Gymnast, Nastia Liukin, is commentating for NBC Sport on the gymnastics events in Rio. Liukin retired from the sport in 2012 at the tender age of 22 after she failed to qualify for the Olympics in London. She was the 2008 Olympic all-around champion and four-time all-around U.S. national champion. Before her final Olympic competition in London, she sat down with uSports and explained the challenges of getting back into shape and what she loves so much about the sport.

In 2011 once she decided she wanted to try for her second Olympics, she trained six days per week. It wasn’t easy, but Liukin doesn’t shy away from hard work and felt a sense of accomplishment.

“I run about six days a week, just three miles, so it’s nothing too crazy but just enough to keep my endurance up and my strength up,” Liukin said. “I start that at 7:00 am and then I go to the gym around 8:00 am and train until about 11:00 am and then I have a small break and eat lunch and train again from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.”

Both her parents were gymnasts, so it was only natural that she took an interest in the sport.

“I’ve always had a passion and love for the sport of gymnastics so I think that by them achieving what they did, I remember as soon as I knew what the word Olympic games meant I wanted to go there,” she said.

Article by Lindsey Horsting