Who Is Anastasia Liukin? US Gymnast Gabby Douglas’ Now-Former Coach

With three Olympic gold and two World Championships gold medals to her name, Gabby Douglas is easily one of the most iconic names in the USA’s gymnastics scene. Her spellbinding routines have awed fans in both the nation and away. However, her coach’s contributions to her success cannot be overstated either. Training under the legendary Anastasia Liukin and her husband Valerie, Douglas amassed a long list of accolades.

With Gabby deciding to part ways with WOGA (World Olympic Gymnastics Academy), many speculate how it will affect her Olympic dream. While the two-time Pan American Championships gold medalist seeks a new home, here’s a quick look back at Liukin’s own achievements to elaborate on what she brought to the table.

A stellar debut for Gabby Douglas’ ex-coach

Liukin was born to a family that lived and breathed gymnastics. Her mother Anna Kotchneva was the 1987 rhythmic gymnastics world champion, while her father was the first one to perform a triple backflip on the floor and etch his name among the sport’s elites. In a recent article by Olympics.com, the Liukin family’s story has been narrated in a candid manner to underscore how Nastia Liukin found her footing among the USA’s gymnastics clan.

Gabby’s coach and her family emigrated to the United States in 1991. However, her family was already a coveted name in the international gymnastics community with multiple titles on the big stages. Liukin’s father had won several Olympic medals along with bagging two World Championship titles. While her family wasn’t keen on encouraging her to follow their profession, her obvious talent for the sport was too hard to ignore.

By the mere age of 13, Gabby Dougles’ now-former coach was already leading the junior USA gymnastics contingent and had two national championship titles to her name. After missing out on the 2004 Olympics due to an age-related issue, Liukin came back triumphantly and claimed two gold medals at the 2005 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. And she didn’t stop there.

A legendary run on the big stage

An ankle injury pushed Liukin to the sidelines in 2006. However, her winning mindset couldn’t stop her physical ailment from keeping her bogged down for too long, and 2008 marked a pivotal moment in her career. Scoring the highest mark on the uneven bars, Liukin started her Beijing Olympics run in style and walked away from the tournament with 5 medals, including one gold.

Read more: Will Gabby Douglas Compete in the All-Around Category at the Paris Olympics or Succumb to Her 2016 Horror?

Her skills at the 2008 Olympics ensured Liukin would forever be remembered as one of the country’s most iconic gymnastics stars. Understandably, Gabby’s fans cannot fathom what could lead her to move away from such a legendary figure in the sport. With the Olympics only five months away, it waits to be seen how Douglas makes the most of the remaining time and finds a suitable replacement for Liukin’s commendable experiences.