The 2008 Beijing Olympics stars, Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson, are back together in the latest Instagram reel. Despite years of being compared to each other, they showed that sports can bring people closer.

A recent Instagram post shared by Liukin highlights how the duo celebrates their unbreakable bond.

“​If only we could tell those teenagers this is what life would look like one day..." she wrote.

Liukin reflected on their friendship by realizing how quickly the time passed. From being 16- and 18-year-old competitors on the Olympic stage to now sitting down to “split pancakes, talk about babies, and everyday plans before noon.”

Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson were the two powerhouses of USA gymnastics in the Beijing Olympics. As the top two gymnasts in the sport, they faced immense pressure and were often seen as rivals, which took a toll on their close friendship.

“As soon as all-around hit, it was like Nastia or Shawn. … We kind of felt like, well, they don’t want us to be friends. They won’t allow us to be friends," Johnson said on their rivalry in 2018.

They drifted apart for eight years after the Olympics and reconciled after a long time in 2016 at Shawn's wedding.

“If you don’t respond, I totally get it,” Shawn said in a message to Nastia. “Just know that I love you. I miss my best friend. I support you in everything you do.”

After the duo finally patched up, Liukin looked back at their roller-coaster journey in an interview in 2018.

“It brought us together. It drove us apart. It brought us back together," she said.

This transition from being each other's fierce competitors to sharing their lives together reminds us how sports bring people together.

Nastia Liukin’s Life After Retirement

Liukin walked away from the global stage at the age of 23 as her physical health reached its limits. Her gymnastics career came to an end after the 2012 Olympic Trials, and after that, she pursued her other passions, in which she had a keen interest.

She shifted to the entertainment industry and participated in television shows like "Dancing with the Stars" and "American Ninja Warrior." Along with debuting on television, she became a social media influencer, posting about life after the Olympics.

She looked for an opportunity to support upcoming gymnasts and created the Nastia Liukin Cup. She channelled her expertise back into the sport and is today an athlete ambassador and athlete commission member for the LA 28 Olympics and Paralympics.

Read more at the Gymnastics Digest!

Written by

Sebi Mehta

Edited by

Ankita Yadav