Nastia Liukin

Anastasia Valeryevna "Nastia" Liukin was born on Oct. 30, 1989, in Moscow, Soviet Russia to Olympic gymnast Valeri Liukin and World Rhythmic Gymnastics champion Anna Kotchneva; in childhood, she moved with her parents to the United States and grew up in Parker, TX. In her teen years, gymnast Liukin competed on behalf to the United States in the Pan American Gymnastics Championships in 2002 and '03, as well as the 2004 Pacific Alliance Championships, and the 2005 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and the Pan American Gymnastic Championships once more in '07. She enrolled in college at Southern Methodist University in 2007, but left school a year later in order to participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics on the United States' gymnastics team. Throughout the competition, she earned one gold meal (in the individual all-around competition), three silver medals (in the team all-around, balance beam, and uneven bars competitions), and one bronze medal (in the floor exercise competition). In 2010, Liukin founded the artistic gymnastics competition, the Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, later the Nastia Liukin Cup, held annually for the participation of pre-elite female gymnasts. In 2012, Liukin injured herself in the midst of a dismount during Olympic Trials. This marked the end of her career as an active gymnast, though she went on to serve as a noted body member of the International Federation of Gymnastics. Liukin enrolled in New York University in 2013, graduating with a college degree three years later.