Van Damme eat your heart out: Russian gymnast Anastasia Nazarenko amazes New Yorkers with stretching skills (PHOTOS)
Russian rhythmic gymnast Anastasia Nazarenko may have retired but she remains in incredible shape – as she proudly demonstrated to the people of New York with some of her insane stretching.
The 27-year-old, who owns a stretching studio in Manhattan, promotes a healthy lifestyle which encourages her clients to get rid of harmful addictions.
Nazarenko shot to fame in 2012 after winning the Summer Olympics in London together with her teammates who dominated the all-around team event.
Unlike her compatriots, who preferred to leave sports after their Olympic triumph, Nazarenko stayed in the team with dreams of a second Summer Games in Rio.
Unfortunately for the gymnast her plans were ruined by unexpected health problems which forced her to retire on the verge of the 2016 Games.
“I had a dream to perform at my second Olympics. But facing a serious dilemma I preferred to choose my health instead of sporting career,” the gymnast said.
After ending her gilded gymnastics career, during which she earned three world titles in addition to Olympic gold, Nazarenko moved to the US where she opened her own stretching studio.
The former elite gymnast has been active on social media, constantly sharing pictures of her urban stretching which would impress even the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme.
In one of the videos posted on her Instagram page Nazarenko is seen recreating the famous van Damme splits by sitting between two taxis.
