COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 25, 2008 – 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, who won a total of five medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, was voted the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Female Athlete of the Month for August 2008.
At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Liukin won a total of five medals, including a team silver, the most by any female gymnast in 2008. This also ties the U.S. gymnastics record for most medals in one Olympics 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. Liukin has a total of nine world medals to her credit, which ties her with Miller for career world medals. Liukin is coached by her father, Valeri, who has four Olympic medals from 1988, including two gold. She trains at WOGA.
“We are thrilled that Nastia has received this recognition, especially given the many top performances by American women during the 2008 Olympic Games,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “Nastia’s performances both on and off the field of play demonstrate why she is a champion in every sense of the word.”
Liukin finished ahead of swimming’s Natalie Coughlin and fencing’s Mariel Zagunis in the women’s balloting. Top honors for the men went to swimming’s phenom Michael Phelps, and the 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic Team for volleyball was selected in the team category.
Men
1. Michael Phelps, Swimming
2. Henry Cejudo, Wrestling
3. Dwayne Wade, Basketball
Women
1. Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
2. Natalie Coughlin, Swimming
3. Mariel Zagunis, Fencing
Team
1. U.S. Men’s Olympic Team, Volleyball
2. U.S. Women’s Olympic Team, Basketball
3. Men’s 400 Meter Freestyle Relay, Swimming