[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21639]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING NASTIA LIUKIN 2008 OLYMPIC GYMNAST

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 23, 2008

  Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I 
rise today to honor Miss Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, in the Fourth 
Congressional District of Texas, as the most decorated U.S. gymnast 
from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
  Anastasia ``Nastia'' Liukin was born to Anna and Valeri Liukin on 
October 30, 1989 in Moscow, Russia. When she was two and a half years 
old, her parents decided to move from Russia to the USA. As the 
daughter of two gymnasts, it was only natural that Nastia found herself 
in the gym early on. Since the age of six, she has been coached by her 
father at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy, her family's gymnastics 
club in Plano, Texas. Through hard work, diligence and dedication to 
the sport, Nastia has become a Senior International Elite Gymnast, is a 
four time World Champion, nine time World medalist, four time U.S. 
National Champion and has won multiple Pacific Rim and American Cup 
titles. In 2005 she was also named the Gymnast of the Year by the 
International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and was a nominee in both the 
World Top 10 Athletes Award and the U.S. Sport's Academy Athlete of the 
Year Award.
  As a star member of the 2008 Olympic Team, Nastia became the 2008 
Olympic All-Around Gold Medalist and received silver medals for her 
performances on the balance beam, uneven bars and in the overall team 
competition, as well as a bronze medal in floor exercise. With nine 
World Championship medals and five Olympic medals, Nastia joins the 
ranks of Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Miller as being the American 
gymnast having won the most World Championship medals, as well as the 
most medals in a single Olympic Games.
  Nastia has not limited her successes to only the gym. In January of 
2008, she was accepted to Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 
hopes of pursuing a career in international business or acting. 
However, after trying to juggle her training and academic commitments, 
Nastia decided to put college on hold until after the Beijing Summer 
Olympic Games.
  Madam Speaker, Americans take pride in Nastia's athletic 
accomplishments and her commitment to academic enrichment. I ask that 
my colleagues join me in honoring this young golden girl, Miss Nastia 
Liukin.

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