I Don't Want To Be

Gymnastics Taught Me Everything - Life Lessons, Responsibility And Discipline And Respect.

My Coach, Liang Chow, Had One Rule While I Was Training For The 2008 Olympics: No Skiing. I Could Do Anything I Wanted Outside The Gym, He Said, Except Ski.

I Told Myself After 2008 That I Was Done For Good. But They Say You Can't Keep A Gymnast Away From Her Sport.

I Was Always Known As That Stocky, Muscular, Powerful, Short, Athlete. People Always Wondered If I Was On Steroids, And It Was Because I Wasn't That Long And Lean, Flexible, Artistic Gymnast. It Didn't Affect Me Too Much But It Got To The Point Where I Tried To Be That Long And Lean Gymnast, And It Just Wasn't Possible.

After 13 Years Of Hard Landings In Gymnastics, One Ski Run Had Delivered The Biggest Injury Of My Career.