Liukin Hopes Teamwork Will Bring Olympic Gold to US Women Gymnasts

Anastasia or "Nastia" Liukin got an early start in gymnastics. Born inMoscow to a pair of world class Russian gymnasts in 1989, shepractically grew up in the gym. She was two-and-a-half when her parents moved tothe United States, and as VOA's Steve Schy reports, Nastia hasdeveloped into a talented gymnast in her own right.

When Liukin's parentsmoved to the United States and became coaches, they were initiallyunable to afford babysitters, so Nastia went with them to the gym. Itbecame her playground, and it was not long before the little girl'splay led to her copying and performing the routines of the students.  

Bythe time she was six, Nastia Liukin had started competing and she wasjust 12 years old when she became an elite gymnast. Nastia competes inthe balance beam, uneven bars, floor exercise and vault and has won atotal of nine World Championship medals (four gold and five silver). But she says the team gold medal is her top goal in Beijing.

"Weare really focused on the team competition right now, because we worktogether as a team, and that has always been the number-one goal forus," she said. "And then after the team is over, then we cando our individual."

Nastia expects some of the toughest competition to come from host China.

"Chinais definitely our number-one competition [challenger] and it proved itat the 2006 worlds when we just missed the world title," she said. "Andthen in 2007 when we did win the world title, they got the silvermedal. But we are just focused on doing our own thing. And when weare over there we are not really looking at them and we are not focusedon what routines they are doing.  We are just focused on our routinesand trying to make them the best way we can. Because we know that ifwe do go out there and hit the routines the way we can that there is apretty good chance we will come out on top."

Nastia Luikin saysbalance beam and the uneven bars are her favorite events. But shethinks some gymnasts are getting carried away and making too manypasses (fast gymnastic routines from one corner of the mat to theother) in the floor exercise.

"There are some girls who do fiveor even six, I'm sure," said Nastia. "But I stopped at four justbecause I know that I want to keep the artistic part in my floorroutine.  And a lot of people who do more than four passes just do noteven have the time in that minute and a half to do any dance moves, orposes or anything."

Nastia Luikin has already been a dominantforce in the world of gymnastics for several years. Now at just 18years of age, she hopes to help the U.S. women dominate the BeijingOlympics and bring home gold medals.