Quick Chat with Nastia Liukin

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As we gear up for Trials, Inside Gymnastics takes you back to Boston for a quick chat with U.S. No. 2 Nastia Liukin, who dishes on her Championships performance, her plan for Philly and what she’s looking forward to most this summer, besides Beijing …

Q: How do you feel about your performance at USAs?

A: Honestly? I don’t think I’ve ever felt this good about a second place. I’m a competitive person at heart and I get that from my dad, 100 percent. He was just like that; just wanting to get first—though going into competitions I’m never thinking about that. I was just really happy with how [the] whole weekend went, everything except for that first fall, on the first day. I’m happy with the outcome.

I didn’t even have the best meet of my life [in finals]. I think there are a lot of things I can improve upon. I think that makes a difference, too.

I don’t feel 100 percent yet. It’s still kind of early summer right now, so bars, definitely my dismount I can improve a ton. And, hopefully, score even higher than I did. I’m happy with the 17, but I can be 100 percent satisfied but there’s always something you can improve upon.

The same for beam. There are always those little tenths, here and there, that can be eliminated.

Q: What’s the plan now, through Trials and Selection Camp?

A: I think just trying to show more consistency and just be stronger. I am still working a lot on strength right now and I think it’s kind of showed in my vault and my tumbling. They are beginning to be a little easier for me; so just keeping up on the strength part. Then just the day-to-day training to keep me consistent.

Q: How do you relax and not stress yourself about everything this next month?

A: Honestly? Just not thinking about that too much (laughs).

I think that you just have to do go one day at a time. That’s always what I’ve been taught. No matter if it was four years ago, when I was a junior, thinking ‘OK, it’s four years until the Olympics.’ That’s how my parents have taught me to go through life. You never know how much time you have left, so you have to live on a day-to-day basis.

Q: Is there anything fun coming up in your immediate future, non-gymnastics related?

A: I guess just [being] home [between USAs and Trials]. … I like being at home with my friends and family and my two dogs. And I’m gonna’ get another dog soon.

I’m getting a small dog. A tiny, toy multipoo.

Q: Before the Olympics? Who will take care of him while you’re in Beijing?

A: (laughs and shrugs) I’m not sure. I don’t know, but I’m very excited.

I’m still looking everywhere, because they’re very rare—the tiny toy, or teacup, ones.

Q: Why do you want that particular dog?

A: I’m a big fan of Blake Lively, from “Gossip Girl” and I saw her pictures and I wanted a small dog for a long time and I was, like, ‘That’s so cute!’ And my mom and dad were like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. After the Olympics we can get one.’ Then, I don’t know what happened, but me and my mom were talking about it and I was like, ‘Mom, come on!’ and my dad was sitting there and my mom said, ‘We’re getting a puppy.’ And my dad was like, ‘What?!’ My mom was like, ‘Yep.’ And he said, ‘OK.’ So, I was like, he didn’t say no!’

Hopefully, [we’ll get her] right after Trials, I want to [before,] but we leave again right away. I was like, ‘I could take her with us, Mom,’ and she was, ‘I don’t know about that.’

I’m searching everywhere [for the dog, but] I’ve already found the purse; the perfect Juicy [Couture] purse [to carry the dog around in].

Q: So, it’s all accessory-related?

A: (laughs) Yes. Very much so. I’m not sure what color [purse] yet, either black or pink. It’s a Juicy dog carrier. … I mean, I haven’t bought it yet, I’m not that bad! But I will, after I get [the dog].

It won’t be traveling to China. But it will be traveling everywhere after that.

Q: How will your two labs react?

A: My dad’s like, ‘They’re going to eat her!’ And I’m like, ‘No they won’t. I’ll keep her in my room.’

I’ve found quite a few [puppies,] I’m just trying to pick out the right color and everything. I want a girl.

Q: Are you getting any tips from Mary Lee Tracy, who takes her Maltese, Sophie, everywhere with her, and dresses her up?

A: I don’t want that big of a dog. (laughs) I know, [Sophie’s] seven or eight pounds, we’re saying that’s big.

My labs are pretty small, actually. The girl is, like, 50 pounds and the boy, the chocolate lab, is 70, I think. They’re brother and sister. They’re cute. But they’re my dad’s. The boy, Rex, is like my dad’s little son that he never had.

Q: I thought YOU were the son your dad never had?

A: (laughing) I know! Before I was born, they thought I was going to be a boy. He was just so sure. He was telling everyone he was going to have a little soccer player. Then, two days before I’m born, my mom calls—because he was still training at the [Russian National] Training Center (Round Lake)—and said, ‘It’s a girl.’ My dad was like, ‘What?!’ But then he was, ‘All right, as long as she’s healthy.’

But he’s like, ‘You’re getting a girl dog? Another girl in this house? I don’t think I can take that.’ I was like, ‘You have Rex,’ the boy dog.

Q: Your parents said once (jokingly) that you’re an only child because you didn’t sleep through the night until you were almost a year-and-a-half old.

A: Yeah. I hated to sleep. I get that from my [maternal] Grandpa. Because, I swear, even when he’s here he’ll go to sleep at, like, 12 [AM], wake up at three, go work for a few hours and then take another nap for another hour. He says that he thinks he’s wasting his life away by sleeping, so he feels like he’s got to get up and be productive. I’m like, ‘OK, that’s really logical. But I need my sleep.’

Q: So, you like sleeping now?

A: Oh yeah! I take a nap every day. Especially since I’m not in school right now. Everyone goes to school in the middle [between the two workouts] and I’m, like, ‘OK, I’m going to take my nap.’ I always sleep between every workout and go to sleep at like 9:30 or 10 [PM]. I’m such a sleep person [now]. I don’t know what happened to me.

The Olympic year is here! Subscribe or Renew now so that you don’t miss a single issue of Inside Gymnastics! Plus, subscribe for 3 years and receive a FREE poster of Nastia Liukin!