Keeping It All In Perspective

Nastia has a very busy schedule every week splitting her time between two training sessions a day and the many other commitments of a professional athlete and student. She was accepted in Southern Methodist University in Dallas to begin her freshman year in 2008 but after trying to juggle her training and academic commitments decided to put college on hold until after the Olympic Games. She plans to enrol this January and hopes to major in international business. She has already featured in a number of international and national television advertising campaigns and in 2006 had a small speaking role in the hit gymnastics themed movie Stick It and would like to continue to pursue any acting and modelling opportunities that may arise.

As for her gymnastics aspirations, Nastia takes it one day at a time enjoying all of the challenges and opportunities that the sport brings her, "I do this for myself. I like the sport. I like everything about it". Rather than dimming her drive to compete, her Olympic experience has only fuelled Nastia's desire to return to competition. She returned to full time training in January 2009 setting new goals and dreams. First stop, the 2009 VISA Championships and a chance to compete for the first time in front of her hometown crowd in Dallas. After that, she hopes to achieve selection in the team for the 2009 World Championships and the chance to become the most decorated American gymnast in world level competition in her own right. As she has throughout her career, Nastia is only interested in talking about short-term goals taking her gymnastics journey day by day, month by month and year by year enjoying achieving and setting new goals for herself along the way. As to 2012 and a return to the Olympics ... only time will tell.