Valeri Liukin may not be a name you're totally familiar with given her origin is from the Soviet Union. I say that as if she's some sort of superhero with a crazy origin story, but she's not. She is an excellent gymnast though, which is how she came to prominence. After the Soviet Union was no more, Valeri Liukin moved to the United States with her family. That's where her daughter, Nastia Liukin, began her gymnastics career.
Unlike her mother, Nastia Liukin competed for the United States. Not only has she competed, she has won the gold at the world's biggest stage: the Olympics. Her gold medal came during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. We all know gold is the medal we're all after, but she also won a bronze and three silvers which should be commended.