Former Olympic Champion Nastia Liukin Admits She 'Misses' Gymnastics — But Will Leave 'Coaching to My Parents'

Nastia Liukin won’t be putting on a leotard again anytime soon!

Years after the 34-year-old won five medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, she returned to the 2024 Paris Olympics, which got her thinking about her days as a gymnast.

“I miss the feeling of competing, absolutely. I’m fortunate in that I’m still so tied to the sport, whether through the Olympics, my work on the LA28 Athlete Commission, the Nastia Liukin Cup and my parents' work as coaches (they are Hezly Rivera’s coach). I don’t miss training for seven hours a day, six days a week, though, so I’ll leave the coaching to my parents!” Liukin, who partnered with LTK to show off the latest fashion trends at the games in Paris, exclusively tells OK!.

While Liukin is still involved in the gymnastics scene, she admits retirement has allowed her to take on new ventures.

“It’s funny because I ‘retired’ at the age of 22. I’m grateful for all of the opportunities this sport has given me, and for the friendships and connections I’ve forged because of it. It has given me the platform I have now, which serves as a core part of my business,” she explains before noting what her future holds. “Next up for me is launching my podcast, which I am so excited about!”

During her time at the 2024 Olympic games, Liukin was able to see the incredible women’s gymnastics team take home the gold thanks to stars such as Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and Rivera.

“I’m just so thrilled for this team because they are such hard workers, and they left it all out on the competition floor. They went out there and did their job and made us all so proud,” Liukin, who won a silver medal in the 2008 Olympic gymnastics team final, raves.

The blonde beauty additionally pointed out the fashion trends she noticed from athletes and famous onlookers while watching from the sidelines.

“I’m loving how everyone is leaning into pairing official Olympic gear with simple, chic pieces. It’s the best way to represent our country and lean into American-owned brands. For example, Kendall Jenner wore a Team USA Ralph Lauren zip-up and hat with a classic pair of jeans, a crisp white T-shirt and black loafers. Seeing celebrities embrace the Olympic movement in such an authentic way, decked out in Team USA gear, is amazing,” the athlete-turned-influencer shares, referencing the look The Kardashians star stepped out in to attend the women’s all-around gymnastics final on August 1.

As for what the gymnasts themselves were wearing, Liukin confesses she was in awe of how much more exciting the uniforms have become since 2008.

“My pink leotard was considered a fashion statement back then — if 18-year-old me were to have seen this year’s competition leotards, I would have been beside myself with happiness. The more crystals, the better,” she gushes.

Lastly, Liukin — who showed off the killer outfits she wore in Paris via Instagram while working with LTK — is so grateful to be involved in this partnership.

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“I love working with companies that are innovative and changing the game. I’m also incredibly passionate about helping athletes (especially Olympians) learn how they can leverage their influence and fan base into fully-fledged digital careers, whether they move into retirement or continue on in their sport,” she says. “LTK has been a huge tool for me in my career as an influencer, so working with them in this setting has been incredibly cool. Showing other athletes that they can monetize their platforms so easily while connecting to their communities has been a highlight for sure!”