Champion Gymnast and Decathlete to Be Featured on Special-Edition
Wheaties Packages
The greatest names in American gymnastics and decathlon share one thing
in common: a legacy of appearing on the fabled orange Wheaties box.
Following competition in Beijing, the torch has been passed as two of
America’s newest heroes, Nastia Liukin and
Bryan Clay, become part of that legacy with their own Wheaties boxes.
Liukin: Third American to win all-around, third to appear on
Wheaties box
Three American women have won gold in the gymnastics all-around
competition. America’s newest sweetheart,
Liukin, will follow in the footsteps of fellow all-around champions Mary
Lou Retton and Carly Patterson by joining the Breakfast of Champions
family.
Liukin led American gymnasts by capturing five medals on the world stage
in Beijing, including individual gold in the all-around, silver in the
uneven bars and balance beam, and bronze in the floor exercise. She also
helped lead the Americans to silver in the team competition. Both of
Liukin’s parents were gymnastics champions,
and, at 18, the Parker, Texas resident is already one of the most
decorated American gymnasts of all time, with multiple world and
national titles.
“Every young athlete aspires to one day see
their face on the cover of the Wheaties box,”
Liukin said. “It’s
been a huge inspiration to see great gymnastics champions on the box,
like Mary Lou and Carly, plus the ‘Magnificent
Seven’ from 1996. It’s
a privilege and an honor for me to be on the box, and I’m
very excited to be part of the Wheaties tradition.”
Liukin credits hard work and determination for her success. “I
tell young athletes all the time that if you want to become a champion,
you need to stay focused, train hard, and pay attention to what you eat,”
she says. Proper nutrition is a critical part of peak performance, and
Liukin says that’s why Wheaties was a part of
her training regimen.
“I’m so thrilled
for all of our athletes, but in particular to see Nastia take the gold
in the all-around and now get her own Wheaties box,”
Retton says. “Wheaties is arguably the first
and still one of the foremost brand images in all of sports.
