Nastia Liukin to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Liukin fans. Speculation had been rife that five-time Olympic gymnastics medalist at the 2008 Beijing Games is about to announce her retirement from sports, at age 36, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 12/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an athlete isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an athlete just isn't fun anymore,” she might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that she may branch out into other creative fields she is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouNastia

For a little while on Saturday evening, #ThankYouNastia was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made her make the decision.

“Nastia Liukin was unlike any other athlete we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouNastia”
— @universalObserver, 11 Apr 2026

“Didn't Nastia Liukin retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 11 Apr 2026

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