HAMPTON, Va. — The Tokyo Olympics get underway later this month and one local gymnast has hopes of being in one, some day soon.
For now, she's working on her craft.
Malina Liverman started in the sport in 2017 and is already at a Level 6 out of 10 total. Four years ago, she was invited to join the Junior Olympic Compulsory team and was a part of the U.S. Gymnastics' Talent Opportunity Program (TOP).
It all started on the internet.
"I was watching a lot of like, YouTube and people doing a lot of stuff so then I just started by doing stuff like trampolines at the trampoline park," she said.
Her father Albert says his daughter started out with ballet, but the pull of the sport was too strong.
"We go to the park and she'd be on the bars and things swinging, but then she looked like a natural and ballet was not really her speed; it was a little slow for her," he said.
Malina gains plenty from Olympic greats like Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas, who once lived in Virginia Beach. Locals have dubbed her "Little Gabby."
"They're all really, really good gymnasts," Malina said admirably. "And they're, like, really confident in themselves."