24. Januar 2009  
Indianapolis, USA  
Artistic Gymnastics

Nastia LIUKIN named 2008 USOC Co-Sportswoman of the Year

Nastia LIUKIN
Olympic All-around Champion 2008

2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, was named the 2008 U.S. Olympic Committee's (USOC) "Co-SportsWoman of the Year" with swimmer Natalie Coughlin.

<< The Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin (photo, left: gymmedia), who earned five medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, is the third individual gymnast to win this award, joining Kim Zmeskal (1991) and Carly Patterson (2004).

Swimmer Michael Phelps, the U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team and Paralympic swimmer Erin Popovich were chosen as the SportsMan, Team and Paralympian of the Year, respectively.

Liukin: ... first interview after winning Olympic all-around gold in Beijing

At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Liukin's total of five medals tied the U.S. gymnastics record for most medals in one Olympic Games, currently held by Mary Lou Retton (1984) and Shannon Miller (1992).
Liukin's medals are:
Gold - all-around; Silver - team, balance beam and uneven bars; and bronze - floor exercise.
Liukin is just the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic all-around crown.
Earlier in 2008, Liukin won the all-around title at both the Tyson American Cup and the Pacific Rim Championships presented by Gillette Venus.
She also was named the Women's Sports Foundation's 2008 Individual Sportswoman of the Year and the United States Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year.
*Source: US Gymnastics