In this edition of Who’s Hotter, we have two Olympic gymnasts going head-to-head. These women became household names by capturing Olympic gold for their home country of the United States. They are two of the biggest names in women’s gymnastics who also happen to be very easy on the eyes.
Russian-American gymnast Nastia Liukin is best known for winning an Olympic gold medal in the women’s artistic individual all-around in Bejing back in 2008. She is 5-foot-3 with long blonde hair and currently weighs around 110 pounds. She has appeared on several well-known television shows and also worked as a model. Despite having been in the public eye for nearly a decade, Liukin is still only 27 years of age.
Alexandria “Aly” Raisman has won gold medals in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. She also captured a silver medal in the Women’s all-around at the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro. Raisman is 5-foot-3 with brown hair and is listed as weighing roughly 115 pounds. Like Liukin, she has also made numerous television appearances and done some modeling as well. At just 23 years of age, Raisman still has an outside chance at making another Olympic appearance.
Now that we’ve seen the tale of the tape, it’s time to decide who’s hotter: Nastia Liukin or Aly Raisman?
16 16. Aly: Swimsuit Seduction
Raisman looks nothing short of gorgeous while posing near the water in her black bikini. The native of Needham, Massachusetts shows off the type of figure that results from devoting one’s life to the sport of gymnastics. She also demonstrates some of her world-class flexibility while stretching her leg for the camera. Raisman proves she can strike a pose with the best of them in this image.
Fun Fact: Raisman’s love of gymnastics began at a young age when she would watch tapes of the “Magnificent Seven” as a child. The team competed in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia and featured names like Kerri Strug, Shannon Miller, and Dominique Moceanu. This was the year that Strug made her famous vault landing while injured.
15 15. Nastia: Wonder Woman
Nastia Liukin looks amazing while working out in her Under Armour Wonder Woman outfit. Gal Gadot has nothing on this lovely gymnast. In this particular post, Liukin not only looks good but also address an important issue, body shaming. She proudly proclaims that regardless of a woman’s shape or size that “every single woman is a Wonder Woman.” It’s good to see the former Olympian is using her notoriety and social media clout to share a positive message with the world.
Fun Fact: Despite representing team USA at the Olympic Games, Nastia Liukin was actually born in Moscow, Russian when it was still a part of the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union collapsed Liukin and her family relocated to the United States when she was just two years old.
14 14. Aly: Yoga Pants
Aly Raisman is an athlete who defiantly knows who to rock a pair of yoga pants. This picture highlights the young athlete’s impressive lower half. It’s easy to see why the athleisurewear movement has become so popular as these bottoms look both comfortable and are extremely figure flattering. Moreover, the gymnast’s winning smile helps to remind folks why she became one of the most popular American’s in Rio de Janerio back in 2016.
Fun Fact: Raisman is a proven leader when it comes to the sport of gymnastics. She was team captain of 2012 Olympic team know as the “Fierce Five”, a role she would reprise in 2016 when she also led the team of known as the “Final Five.” Both of the groups won team gold medals at their respective games.
13 13. Nastia: Model Shot
The Russian-born gymnast looks ready for the runway while sporting this unique black wrap around outfit. Liukin displays her stunning lean physique while holding a sort of modern looking briefcase. If she is getting ready to board an airplane, the 5-foot-3 athlete might have trouble getting her luggage in the overhead compartment. That being said, if she is walking around in that attire, there will certainly be more than a few gentlemen willing to help her with her bag.
Fun Fact: Nastia Liukin serves as an analyst for NBC Sports. She served in this compacity during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She also worked as a correspondent for the company during 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Fans may also remember her for her daily contribution to “The Olympic Zone” during the 2014 games.
12 12. Aly: Between A Rock And A Hard Place
Aly Raisman is literally “caught between a rock and a hard place” in this particular photo. The vivacious brunette proves once again that she has one of the primer bikini bods in all of sports. The 5-foot-2 gymnast gazes seductively into the distance while proudly flaunting her extremely toned abs. This is one photo of the Olympic gold medalist that definitely rocks.
Fun Fact: Balancing the need to earn a high school degree with finding the time to put in the hours of training to become an Olympic level athlete is a delicate balancing act. However, Raisman was still able to earn her diploma from Needham High School in 2012, despite having what was no doubt a rigorous practice schedule. It’s always good to see an athlete get an education while also being able to follow their dreams.
11 11. Nastia: Dancing With The Stars
Nastia Liukin is the very definition of glamorous in her flashy ballroom gown. This image was taken while the retired gymnast was competing on the reality television series Dancing with the Stars. Liukin certainly has the type of physique that people have come to expect from a professional dancer. The 5-foot-3 star once again creates a memorable image for her fans.
Fun Fact: As we have already established, Liukin was a contestant on the 20th season of Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with professional dancer Derek Hough during the contest and received very high scores on most of her performances throughout the show. In fact, the pair even made as far as the semifinals. However, despite earning the highest scores that week from the judges, the duo couldn’t make if beyond the semifinal round.
10 10. Aly: Swimsuit
Raisman yet again makes a case for being the hottest woman in gymnastics with this breathtaking image which was created for Sports Illustrated. The Olympian once again shows off her impressive muscles while sitting perched on top of The Colt. The busty 23-year-old shows that she can look as good as any Sports Illustrated swimsuit model while sporting this revealing outfit.
Fun Fact: Aly Raisman began her junior career in gymnastics back in 2009. She competed in events such as the American Classic in San Diego and the National Championship in Dallas. One of her last competitions as a junior was the Junior Pan American Games, where she placed first in the floor and vault events. The talented competitor would go on to begin her senior career in 2010.
9 9. Nastia: Black And White
This classic black-and-white image of Nastia Liukin looks like something one might expect see at an art show. The gold medal winner looks both sophisticated and elegant while posing for this artistic photo. For this Instagram post, Liukin decided to go with the classic Marilyn Monroe quote, “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” However, there aren’t too many imperfections on display in this captivating picture.
Fun Fact: Besides being a world class gymnast, Liukin has also been involved in the fashion industry. She has been a spokeswoman for CoverGirl, launched her own line of girls' wear (Supergirl) for JC Penney, and even worked with Vanilla Star Jeans. We should expect to see more from this budding fashion guru in the years to come.
8 8. Aly: Splits
Aly Raisman shows off the impressive flexibility one might come to expect from an Olympic level gymnast. The Massachusetts native is holding a split that even action film star and split master Jean-Claude Van Damme would be envious of. Raisman proves that she doesn’t need to be wearing a skimpy swimsuit in order to look amazing in this a photo. Moreover, her yoga pants and casual top highlight her toned midsection in this particular shot.
Fun Fact: Raisman made Olympic history at the 2012 Olympic Games in London when she became the first American to win a gold medal in the floor event. She did so by posting an impressive score of 15.600 in the floor finals while performing to the song “Hava Nagila.”
7 7. Nastia: Olympic Gear
This throwback photo shows Nastia Liukin in her gymnastics uniform back in her days as an active competitor. The 5-foot-3 Moscow native looks to be in peak physical condition before heading into competition. The blonde athlete looks quite attractive while striking a signature gymnastics pose. She shows us once again why she is considered by some to be one of the most beautiful women to ever compete in the sport.
Fun Fact: Back in 2010, People magazine claimed that Liukin and an American figure skater named Evan Lysacek were an item. However, Liukin publicly denied the allegation and claimed that the two were simply friends. In June of 2015, she announced her engagement to a college hockey player named Matt Lombardi. Despite being engaged since June of 2015, the two still haven’t officially tied the knot.
6 6. Aly: Flying Ponytail
Aly Raisman soars through the air while proudly sporting an organic drink. The young athlete’s exotic outfit and ponytail are also flying about in this fun promotional picture. This image shows of the Olympian's toned legs, impressive vertical leap, and desire to consume a healthy beverage. Judging by her fit figure, Raisman is probably a good choice to promote organic products. Being an Olympic athlete certainly requires one to live a healthy lifestyle.
Fun Fact: Raisman was able to accomplish a great deal in her time between the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Her highlights during that period include; winning team gold at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow, and winning medals (gold and bronze) at the 2015 National Championships which were held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
5 5. Nastia: White Outfit
Nastia Liukin proudly displays her revealing white top in this memorable Instagram post. In the caption, the blonde gymnast writes, “On the blog today, my favorite esthetician is giving beauty tips to keeping your skin looking amazing.” Whatever her esthetician is doing is definitely working, as the former Olympian’s skin looks absolutely flawless. This is another excellent picture posted on social media for the retired gymnast to add to her already impressive photo resume.
Fun Fact: Liukin decided to retire from competitive gymnastics following the 2012 Olympic trials. During the competition, she fell off the bars and was helped back up by her father and went on the complete the routine. While she didn’t qualify for the team, Liukin did receive a standing ovation from the audience after completing her final event.
4 4. Aly: Girl Power
Aly Raisman attempts to share a powerful message with her Instagram followers while looking dazzling in this unique yet proactive attire. The image shows off the Olympian’s toned lower half while reminding folk to “Wear whatever makes you feel happy and confident. Don’t EVER let anyone tell you how you should or shouldn’t dress." Judging by the fact that the word “EVER” is in all caps, it would appear this an issue the young gymnast feels quite strongly about. Instagram provides an excellent platform for folks to share their skimpy outfits as well as their thoughts, with the world.
Fun Fact: Along with her teammate Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman is the only American gymnast to ever win a team gold in consecutive Olympic Games.
3 3. Nastia: Coke
Nastia Liukin steals the show once again while posing for this old school style Cocoa-Cola advertisement. This fun image helps highlight the Russian-born athlete's playful side as she sips a cold beverage. The red dress allows the retired gymnast to show off her legs and her stylish red high heels.
Fun Fact: The beverage known as Coca-Cola was invented by a man named John Pemberton in the late 1800s. It was originally intended by used as a drug by Pemberton to help him with his addiction to morphine. It was purchased by a businessman named Asa Griggs and was eventually turned into the carbonated beverage that many folks around the world enjoy today. If not for Pemberton’s invention, this photo of Nastia Liukin may have never existed.
2 2. Aly: Springboard
Aly Raisman has been kind enough to grace us with another stunning bikini photo. The gymnast once again shows off her Olympic-caliber curves while lying seductively on a springboard. Once her career in gymnastics is over, Raisman won’t have any difficulty finding work as a bikini model. She might well be the most physically fit woman to ever pose for Sports Illustrated and that is really saying something.
Fun Fact: Aly Raisman competed on the 16th season of the television show Dancing With the Stars. She was paired with professional dancer Mark Ballas. Raisman performed well on the show and came in 4th overall and just missed being included in the finals. She also made a cameo appearance on season 15 of the show during a freestyle dance with her Olympic teammates.
1 1. Nastia: One Piece
The former Olympic gold medalist looks amazing in this breathtaking one piece outfit. Moreover, based on this Instagram post, she is also very indecisive when trying to select the perfect pair of shoes for the day. The gorgeous blonde appears to be really making a mess of the store she's shopping at. Nastia Liukin would likely find a great deal of success as a model in the fashion industry despite only being 5-foot-3, based on this lovely photograph.
Fun Fact: Liukin was achieved such notoriety in her sport that she even had an event named after her. The Nastia Liukin Cup was first held in 2010 and was hosted by Liukin herself. Many elite gymnasts such as Gabby Douglas, Ashton Locklear, and Makayla Skinner have participated in the event.