WASHINGTON, October 26, 2012 – Nastia Liukin is a determined woman that found herself living the dream as the all-around champion Gold Medal was draped around her neck at the 2008 Olympics.

“To compete at the Olympics is something you work your entire life to achieve and winning in 2008 was surreal and it felt like a dream,” Liukin says. “As I was standing on the podium I realized it was a dream come true and it was the overcoming of the many obstacles that one can have.”

Liukin has left the competitive arena to perform with Olympic and World Championship level athletes during  The Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions, a “high flying dynamic experience the will celebrate the sports’ beauty and skill.”

The cast of the show is led by Liukin and consists of members of the men’s and women’s 2012 Olympic and Championship Teams, including mid-Atlantic natives Gabby Douglas, Virginia Beach, VA and Julie Zetlin of Bethesda, Maryland. 

“The Kellogg’s tour has a very different type of pressure to it,” Liukin says. “We are all performers in our hearts and without the pressure of the competition we can literally let our hair down when we perform and have fun. I also really like to perform to the tour music, it is just more fun.” 

Running through forty cities, the tour stops in DC at the Verizon Center on November 15^th with tickets on sale through Ticketmaster or through Phonecharge at 1-800-745-3000.

“The Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions will be unlike any previously produced,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “We plan to celebrate the many wonderful things gymnastics means to young people, along with showcasing some of the biggest names in the sport. Our fans will truly enjoy connecting with the U.S. Olympic team following their accomplishments in London.”

In addition to the talented athletes and choreographed show that includes athleticism and performance, each show offers Platinum and Gold ticket holders entrance to a thirty-minute AT&T Chalk Talk featuring three or four of the cast members speaking to fans prior to the show.

After the show, Platinum ticket holders will be able to meet and greet the cast members, collect autographs and have pictures with their favorite athletes.

Available to all show guests will be the Kellogg’s Nutrition and Fitness Zone where children can learn about exercise, strength, flexibility, and balance.

“USA Gymnastics has produced countless memorable moments throughout the history of the Olympic Games,” said Kellogg U.S. Morning Foods President David Denholm. ”Kellogg’s is excited to help bring the incredible athletes who create these moments to fans, even after the Games have ended, as part of our official partnership.”

From the sidelines, or viewing the broadcasts on the flat screen at home, as these young people are literally flying through the air, seemingly defeating physics and gravity, one questions has always remained: Just how hard it to let go?

“I think that is why it is so important to get involved younger, when you are fearless and before you realize how dangerous it could be and you get scared,” Liukin says. “The younger you are when you acquire skills, and having a good coach that you trust will not let you fall, as I have had with my dad who is my coach, also helps a lot.”

Remaining tour dates as of this writing:

Oct 27             Atlanta, Ga.                          Gwinnett Arena

Oct 28             Tampa, Fla.                           Tampa Bay Times Forum

Nov 1              Cincinnati, Ohio                      Ohio U.S. Bank Arena

Nov 2              Indianapolis, Ind.                   Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Nov 3              Detroit, Mich.                          The Palace of Auburn Hills

Nov 4              Columbus, Ohio                      Schottenstein Center

Nov 9              Philadelphia, Pa.                     Wells Fargo Center

Nov 10            Newark, N.J.                           Prudential Center

Nov 11            Boston, Mass.                         TD Garden

Nov 15            Washington, D.C.                 Verizon Center

Nov 16            Pittsburgh, Pa.                       Consol Energy Center

Nov 17             Hartford, Conn.                     XL Center

Nov 18             Brooklyn, N.Y.                      Barclays Center 

Group Sales tickets to the Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions at Verizon Center on November 15 are available now through participating gymnastics clubs or through Group Sales by calling 202-661-5061 or visit www.verizoncenter.com/group-sales-at-verizon-center/. Individual tickets are also on sale now through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Verizon Center box office, online at www.tick etmaster.com or via Phonecharge at 1-800-745-3000.

The Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions is produced by USA Gymnastics in partnership with AEG Facilities, Kellogg Company is the exclusive title sponsor and Hilton HHonors and Procter & Gamble are official supporting partners.

For more information please visit www.usagym.org, www.kelloggstour.com or www.verizoncenter.com.  (Ticket and date information provided by Verizon Center and the Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions and is deemed reliable).

 

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