Nastia celebrated the one year anniversary of her Beijing triumph by taking another step in her return to competition, a performance on balance beam in front of a home town crowd in Dallas at the VISA Championships. Having originally planned to compete two events at the Championships Nastia decided during podium training before the event that she was still a little underprepared to perform on the uneven bars saying, “I didn’t feel confident enough to just chuck a routine. I’m just not that kind of person. I’m doing my full routine, except for the dismount separate. But I feel like it’s my event and I don’t want to go out there and perform it if I don’t feel confident and ready. It just isn’t worth it. Don’t get me wrong, Nationals are very important, but there are more important things that lie ahead this year, like Worlds. I’m on the right track, I just have to keep pushing this way. I have a few more months.”

While she is also not yet competing full difficulty on beam she did debut a new skill (aerial cartwheel), an upgraded dismount from her recent Covergirl Classic performance and proved that even Olympic Champions get nervous … especially when competing in front of a hometown crowd telling Inside Gymnastics after prelims, “When they announced my name and hearing the crowd—knowing it’s a home crowd too—everything kind of boils up and comes together.” Nastia scored 14.450 in the prelims and a 14.700 in finals to earn 4th place on the event saying of her performance, “There’s nothing to hide. I’m not in shape yet. I’m not ashamed of that. I’m proud of my accomplishments and everything I’ve done. Do I wish I was more in shape? Of course. What athlete wants to go out there and perform not at their best? But given the circumstances and all the obligations that I’ve had, this is where I have to be right now.” Her performance was enough to secure a place on the 2009/10 National Team and an invitation to the world team selection camp later in the year where the next chapter of her comeback will unfold.

During the course of the Championships Nastia, her father Valeri and WOGA were all honoured by USA Gymnastics. On the first night of women’s competition, USA Gymnastics honoured the Olympic accomplishments of WOGA. WOGA gymnasts have earned an impressive 21 world and Olympic medals, including Carly Patterson’s two world and four Olympic medals and Nastia’s nine world and five Olympic medals. “Nastia and Carly’s back-to-back accomplishment is virtually unprecedented,” said USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny. “It is one thing for athletes to come from the same country, but another for them to come from the same country, city and club. It is important to bring special attention to this unique achievement.” Nastia then joined all of the 2008 Olympians on the final night of competition in a celebration of their achievements last summer. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the US team amassed its greatest medal haul since the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The 10 medal tally – two gold, six silver and two bronze – is the most earned by the USA in gymnastics in a non-boycotted Olympic Games. As is tradition USA Gymnastics announced its annual awards at the conclusion of the Championships. Nastia was presented with two awards; USAG Athlete of the Year and USAG Sportswoman of the Year (as voted by her peers) while Valeri was named as USAG Coach of the Year.