London 2012: Why US Gymnast Nastia Liukin Must Deliver at Visa Championships

The last time Nastia Liukin stepped onto the international stage as a competitive gymnast, Barack Obama had been inaugurated a few days after Charles Sullenberger landed a commercial jet in the Hudson River, Susan Boyle had just skyrocketed to fame after an improbable audition for Britain's Got Talent, and James Cameron was gearing up for the historic release of Avatar.

Three years is a lifetime in sports.

Liukin did not let that deter her when she finally decided to rejoin the ranks of elite gymnasts, however. The reigning Olympic all-around champion could not resist the Olympic call after her long layoff.

That layoff ended with the Secret U.S. Classic, where Liukin improbably captured the bronze medal on the balance beam, coming in just behind Aly Raisman and reigning world champion Jordyn Wieber. The result should not have been surprising for the third American to ever win the all-around Olympic gold medal, but three years off brought plenty of uncertainty to the table.

While a great story and a good beginning, Liukin must do more if she is going to make the Olympic squad once more. The U.S. gymnastics team is in a position of strength as the reigning world champions, having beaten the Russians in dominating fashion. They did so despite injuries to Alicia Sacramone and Anna Li.

Where does the comeback kid fit in?

She might have a skill named after her on the balance beam, but Liukin's strength is the uneven bars. She pulled out of that event at the recent Secret U.S. Classic due to a balky shoulder, but she plans on unveiling her routine at the Visa Championships this week.

That just happens to be the team's weakness—Wieber was the highest scoring American at the 2011 world championships, but she placed just 12th in the individual competition. 

Fan favorite Shawn Johnson abruptly retired from competitive gymnastics after attempting a comeback of her own, meaning Liukin is likely the last woman standing from the 2008 team. Sacramone and Bridget Sloan have battled injuries that will either keep them out of the U.S. Olympic Trials or make them longshots to make the team, and Chelsea Memmel's petition to compete in the Visa Championships was denied after her mediocre showing at the Secret U.S. Classic.

Unfortunately for Liukin, national teams have been limited to five members—down from six and a far cry from the times of the Magnificent Seven—for the Olympics this summer. This means one-event specialists are a thing of the past (via Juliet Macur of the New York Times):

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Anyone not competing in the all-around, like Liukin, needs to be strong on at least two events to make the team, said Martha Karolyi, the women’s national team coordinator.

Karolyi said she has already spoken to Liukin and hinted that she should be striving to perform a bar routine capable of scoring 16.0, which would make her competitive with the best uneven bars gymnasts.

“No pressure, but Nastia is a big girl,” Karolyi said, with a smile. “If everything falls into place, she will definitely be an asset to us.”

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Proving she can post all-world scores on the uneven bars is essential, and it begins for her at the Visa Championships. She must also keep her momentum on the beam.

There may be a reprieve for Liukin if she is not all the way back to form—her performance at the U.S. Trials later this month will ultimately seal her Olympic fate—but a strong performance at Nationals is vital to her Olympic bid.