“Up until 2007, I was the favorite, right? Because she wasn’t on the scene yet,” the gymnastics legend reflected during her candid chat on the Life After with David Vobora podcast. Her voice carried a tinge of bittersweet nostalgia, laced with raw honesty. “That moment was where I started struggling,” she admitted, the vulnerability in her words cutting through like a reopened wound.

But what happened to the golden girl of gymnastics—the one with five Olympic medals glinting in her cabinet? How did she go from America’s darling to feeling like an afterthought?

The shift in public perception wasn’t just noticeable—it was seismic. One day, Nastia Liukin was the face of grace and elegance, her name synonymous with perfection. The next, she was watching her spotlight dim. “Literally a month ago, you loved me,” she recalled, her voice catching slightly, still raw from the sting of being swiftly sidelined. It wasn’t just about losing competitions—it was about losing hearts. So, what changed? 

Injury was one factor. Leading up to the 2007 World Championships, Liukin battled physical setbacks that slowed her momentum. But her most formidable challenge wasn’t physical—it was Shawn Johnson. The powerhouse gymnast stormed onto the scene with back-to-back triumphs, becoming the fresh face of American gymnastics. With every gold medal Johnson claimed, the narrative shifted. And it wasn’t just about losing titles. It was the internal doubt that started gnawing away at her.

“You can’t just, like, suck it up and, you know, go run faster. Like, it’s so many things that go into it,” the five-time Olympic medalist explained in David Vobora’s podcast, the frustration still palpable. Plus, watching Johnson dominate forced Liukin into an emotional spiral.

“I was like, ‘Wait, are they right? Am I now not good enough? Am I too old? Am I too injured? Are there girls better than me?’” she recalled her voice a mix of reflection and disbelief. But it wasn’t only Johnson’s success that rattled her—it was the relentless outside noise. Whispers swirled about Liukin’s fading relevance. 

Even rumors swirled Liukin might not make the next Olympic team, threatening not just her spot, but also the sponsorships that fueled her dream. “I just want to go play… I just love gymnastics,” she confessed.

But that love was drowning in doubt and comparison. Social media turned the rivalry into a spectacle, with fans and media fueling the fire—pitting her against Shawn as if it were a scripted drama. What began as a professional rivalry became a shadow she couldn’t escape!

Even years later, the comparisons haunted Nastia. “To the outside world, it was that times 10,” Liukin recalled. The media frenzy didn’t stop when they left gymnastics—it only grew. “Our breaking point was when we were both engaged at the same time… it was Bride Wars 2.0,” she joked, highlighting how the rivalry narrative lingered—even during their weddings. At times, even Liukin wondered if the rift was real. But in an unexpected twist, Shawn Johnson shattered every ounce of doubt—proving their bond was more powerful than the headlines.

It happened during an interview with The New York Times. Nastia was casually chatting when the interviewer brought up Shawn Johnson’s upcoming wedding celebration. The problem? Nastia hadn’t received an invitation. Awkward. Her heart sank for a split second. “Wait, I’m not invited?” she thought. 

But instead of admitting the truth, she did something impulsive—she lied. With a forced smile, she casually responded to know about the party. Of course, she said, brushing it off as if she were in the loop. After all, why add more fuel to the gossip fire? If the media got hold of the fact that she hadn’t been invited, they would have had a field day. Headlines would scream of a friendship gone cold.

Just as doubt began to creep in, Nastia received something that made her stomach flip—a two-page letter from Shawn. The first page? An invitation. No rivalry, no malice—just a late delivery. The second page? A heartfelt apology, assuring Nastia she had always been on the guest list. Genuine, warm, and deeply personal—the kind only a genuine friend could write. But that wasn’t all.

The legendary duo now has plenty of signs proving their bond is stronger than ever—from supporting each other’s milestones to sharing life’s biggest moments side-by-side.

The gymnastics stars strengthened their bonding through families 

“We’re best friends,” Nastia Liukin declared without hesitation on the Life After with David Vobora podcast. For eight years, she and Shawn Johnson had shared nothing but silence. There’s no fallout, no drama—just distance. The world called it a rivalry, but behind closed doors, it was simply two women living separate lives.

Their careers pulled them in different directions, while the media fueled the feud narrative.

But eventually, the silence broke—not with cameras or headlines, but over lunch in New York, arranged by their partners. Face to face, the ice melted with every laugh and shared memory. Now? They’re inseparable.

Liukin is the godmother of Shawn’s first child and was the key planner of her wedding. Once painted as rivals, they’re now each other’s biggest supporters—proof that sometimes, it only takes one lunch and a little love to heal old wounds.