Nastia Liukin showed no problem with her Russian-U.S. identity after winning the Olympic women's individual all-around gymnastics title here on Friday.

The 18-year-old had little hesitation to react to the question from Russian journalists at the press conference that whether she deemed herself as a Russian or American.

"Yes, I was born in Russia but I feel like, you know. I'm in the US and in every competition, I'm representing the US. I do feel like a little bit more the American than Russian," said Liukin, who was born in Moscow but moved to the United States with her parents when she was only 2 and a half years old.

But she also said that she was proud of her heritage and proud of meeting the Russians.

"I never regret that. Each time I go back to Russia, I go to see my grandparents, my family and friends. That makes it very special for me.

"When I'm there, I feel a little bit more Russian until I start speaking Russian and people kind of giving me looks like: why you speak so badly. I guess I have a little bit accent in Russian," Liukin said with a smile.

Liukin said that she was aware of her Russian background competing in Beijing.

"I went down there today representing both countries. I'm competing for the US but my name, Nastia Liukin, looks exactly a Russian name. I hope my performance today made my family and friends proud in Russia as well as in the US."

Coming out in her first Olympic Games, she struck the most-coveted gold medal which she had been waiting for years.

Liukin contributed her success to her parents, both former known world champions in Russia.

"My parents definitely had a big influence on my life and without them, I would't have been here. My father is the reason why I won the gold medal and on the other side, my mother gave more support, getting me through the tough days."

She shared a sweet hug with her father and coach Valeri, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and kissed him several times after the final rankings flashed on the screen.

Valeri, along with another Soviet athlete Evgeny Marchenko, opened the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) in Plano, Texas after moving to the US.

Liukin's mother, Anna Kotchneva, was the 1987 world champion in rhythmic gymnastics.

Source: Xinhua