The Liukin Story

[Dr. Shane]

Gymnast Liukin edges Johnson for all-around gold

No runner-up finish to her friend and rival this time. Nastia Liukin won the biggest prize of all. Liukin edged teammate Shawn Johnson for the all-around gold in women's gymnastics Friday in an intense matchup that lived up to its billing at the Beijing Games. Liukin finished with 63.325 points, a mere six-tenths ahead of Johnson, the reigning world champion who beat Liukin at the U.S. championships and Olympic trials only a few weeks ago...

Liukin paced back and forth while Johnson, the final competitor, completed her performance, clapping as her teammate floated high in the air. In the end, it was Liukin who soared. When Johnson's score was posted and Liukin realized she won, tears filled her eyes. Her father and coach Valeri grabbed her in a bearhug, squeezing her tight for several minutes.

Valeri Liukin was a double gold medalist for the Soviet Union 20 years ago, but came up achingly short in a rivalry with his own teammate in the all-around...

Liukin wore a smile that lit up her face as she climbed atop the medals podium and waved to the crowd. She blinked back tears as the gold medal was placed around her neck, but let them flow when the U.S. anthem began to play.

"Standing on the podium and hearing `Olympic champion' next to my name was a dream come true," Liukin said. "Everything pays off at this very moment."

... Liukin is the second straight American to win the all-around crown, succeeding training partner Carly Patterson as gymnastics' greatest champion.

Liukin is the closest thing gymnastics has to royalty, her genes practically guaranteed to produce gold. If her parents had their way, she would be a pianist or anything but a gymnast. But Liukin had her own ideas, and her parents eventually relented.

"It's a feeling I don't think any father can describe," Valeri Liukin said. "I'm very proud of my baby."

"Just to know that he was so close to (the all-around gold) and didn't quite achieve it," his daughter said. "And I hope, you know, I cleared away any of those bad little memories for him. I hope that this definitely tops it. I have a few more to go, but it is an amazing accomplishment just to be here with him, out on the floor 20 years after he competed. I think it just means so much more to both of us. I don't know, just all the hard work paying off. All the injuries, tears, blood, rips—everything."

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[Dr. Shane]

This story is so awesome in so many ways.

1. It shows the value immigrants bring to America. Many immigrants, like Liukin, bring their talents and ambition to America which has gone a long way to making America one of the greatest nations.

2. It was touching to see good sportsmanship of Shawn Johnson after Liukin won the gold. I believe she was the first to congratulate her. While Johnson was born in Iowa (like me) her trainer is an immigrant, once again demonstrating the value of immigration to America.

3. Liukin winning what her father didn't was also sweet. She fulfilled his dreams for himself and for her. (Kind of like GW winning re-election)

4. It is a poke-in-the-eye to Russia at a time when they are invading a US ally. If Russia was such a great nation, Liukin wouldn't have immigrated to the US and the gold medal she won would have become Russian gold instead of American gold.

[Dr. Shane]

Now Shawn Johnson has gotten her gold medal. It seems like a perfect ending. Another plug for immigrants since her coach is an immigrant from China. No doubt about it. America is great because it is a country of immigrants.

[Gerr]

For another heart-moving story, you might want to post the story of Henry Cejudo in the LA Times. His story got me all choked up.

Gerry

[Liz]

This is yet another reason why I really enjoy the Olympics. You hear all the great stories about the athletes. Plus, when you find out where all the athletes are from and then which nation they are playing for, the Olympics are truely a way to bridge the boundaries that separates us.

(And no, I am not saying I am for a one world government or anything. Just trying to say that, for me at least, the Olympics gives me a taste of what Heaven might be like; when all the different nations comes together to have fun.)

At any rate, I think it is cool.

[Dr. Shane]

For another heart-moving story, you might want to post the story of Henry Cejudo in the LA Times. His story got me all choked up.

Gerry

Absolutely and it goes to show that illegal immigrants offer something to this great democratic experiment. Fact is these Olympic winners are only the tip of the immigrant iceberg. Immigrants like them all across the country in a scores of industries make our nation a better place to live.