"I hope people will remember me the way Shannon is remembered," Liukin said. "She is definitely an American hero and a legend forever. I'm not sure but I feel like there's a little more I can give, and go to another world championships (to) break that record and at least get 10."

Often, Liukin is compared with Russia's Svetlana Khorkina, whose long lines and execution helped her win an Olympic silver medal in all-around in the 2004 Athens Games. Khorkina lacked high difficulty, however, in some routines and lost to American powerhouse Carly Patterson. Patterson was Liukin's longtime training partner at a gym co-owned by Liukin's father in Plano, Texas.

Liukin is rare because she blends high difficulty with intricate dance elements.

"As a gymnast, Nastia reminds me a little of Svetlana Khorkina, but I don't want to directly compare her to anyone because she is unique," Romanian expatriate Nadia Comaneci, the 1976 all-around champion and the first gymnast to score a perfect 10, said by e-mail Tuesday. "In an era (where) the difficulty values of routines are a priority, Nastia still brings beauty and elegance to our sport."