>> no one's dead. i forgot about that moment. i'm not sure i can beat that moment. but again, i apologize to the viewers and appreciate your understanding. my little slip-up. and thank you for not teasing me on the ridiculist. that's a particularly unattractive picture there. the latest news, another edition of 360, piers morgan tonight starts right now. tonight, pride of america, shining stars of the summer games join me for an extraordinary hour. gold medal champion nasti nastia lucci. and the boy from the bronx who never gave up. >> it would mean everything i've suffered through has been worth it. >> plus a newcomer on her very first olympics. and making a splash again t great michael phelps. a preview of my candid conversation on fame fortune and the ferocious will to win. >> when i step up on the block i

am wearing stars and stripes. that's the coolest thing. >> their word, their stories, america's hope. this is a special edition of "piers morgan tonight." good evening. big story tonight, london 2012. it's hard to believe we're fewer than 50 days away from the oimp licks. for america the best athletes will be hoping to take home the gold. the nationals are taking place this very weekend. the last great contest before the games themselves. i've talked with the star in just a moment. but first let's get to preparations under way back in london. days after the jubilee, the city is working around the clock to get ready. let's start with richard quest, who is at the heart of things. richard? >> piers, barely have we got over the excitement of the jubilee and finely dried out, and now get ready for the olympics in 49 days time. 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries will be arriving in the british capital.

the olympic torch is north of the border in scotland, making its way around. and when all is said, the britains will have spent the best part of $40 billion hosting the games. up now, 30 or so olympic venues making sure the city is spruced up and clean. ready for 5 million visitors. and who knows, piers, we may manage to turn our boat around. >> quite agree with you. there should be an olympic sport of turning the boats around. we would go home with the gold. america is determined to bring home the gold. if more the gymnastics team is close to do that. i've spoken to her recently. you'll see why she has a very special reason to feel pride in america. >> nastia, how are you? >> good, thank you. >> what i love about you is you come with a nice little handbag.

>> i have. >> and when i asked what you have inside it, you said your medals. prove it. >> okay. >> so gold bags for the gold ones. >> yes. >> and these are all from beijing. >> yes. >> and this is a genuine olympic gold medal. i've never touched one before. >> really? >> they're quite heavy. they are heavy. especially when you have five. >> and they have your inscripti inscription. you have five of them, so yeah. what does it feel like to own olympic gold medals? >> it's surreal. this is something you've been dreaming about your entire life. ever since i knew what the word olympics met, i always knew i wanted to win a gold medal at the olympic games. now to hold it and know that it's actually mine, it's almost like, you know, 23 years is like

in this one little piece of medal. and so it's a lot to take in when you're just sitting there looking at it, because it's very -- it's surreal to know that your dreams have come true. and you know, not many people's do. because only one person can win the olympic all around gold medal. to know i was the one in 2008 is incredible. >> here's the weird thing about you, which i want to explore. because i'm just a humble brit. trying to get the american olympic squad. here you are. you're called nastia liukin. you're born in moscow. both your parents are russian and both competed for the soviet union. why are you representing america, and why are you speaking in this lovely american acce accent? why are you not speaking like this and representing russia? >> well, we moved to the united states when i was 2 1/2 years old. my parents, after they finished their competitive career in gymnastics, their dream was to open up a gymnastic school and

coach gymnasts and onto world championships and olympic games. and they knew that back at the the time in 1989, 1990, that wasn't really possible in russia. and so they knew they wanted to move to the united states to hopefully get the doesn't to be able to create a gymnastics school. so that's kind of what they did. they packed a few suitcases, not much money, just a toddler, me, and got on a plane and just went after their dreams. >> where did you start in america? >> new orleans, out of all places. and it was the week of mardi gras when we moved. it was crazy. i was 2 1/2 years old. my parents didn't know a lick of english. here with we are in the middle of mardi gras. they're like, oh my gosh. what have we done? where have we moved? things were okay. we stayed for a year and moved to dallas. >> you look for all intensive purposes like a classic dallas girl. >> i do? >> yeah. >> do i take that as a

compliment? >> yes, i love girls in dallas. it's strange to me. did you ever feel like going back to russia? do you go back to russia? >> we do. i used to try to go back once a year. i have grand parents that still live there. my mom is back today. she got there to visit. now because i'm in intensive training i can't hop on a plane and cross the country, but the last time i was there was three years ago. >> and how does your grandmother feel about you representing america? >> um, i think they're okay with it. you know, they travel back and forth quite a bit, too. and you know, hopefully they'll move over here eventually. but, you know, they've been so supportive of ate all. and with my parents, and i think they were very nervous when my mom -- she's the only child, and i'm the only child. so when my mom left russia and her parents, she lived with her parents until she got married. and i think that they were very nervous moving there. >> it's an incredible thing for your mom to have done and your

dad. and yet they must now be so proud of you to have come to this country with nothing. not even the ability to speak the language. and to have this little tiny shrimp that goes onto win an olympic gold medal for their adopted country. an amazing thing. how did they feel when you won the gold? >> my mom wasn't there. she was out walking the streets of beijing. she gets too nervous watching. she went to some chinese temple. i tried to call her as soon as i knew. she turned the phone on silent. so she was ignoring my calls. i texted her and said, hi mom. i won, period. love you. that's how she found out. she rushed back over to the arena to make it in time nor the medal ceremonies. i've never really seen my dad cry. and the one time i saw him have tears in his eyes is when i was getting the gold medal and the flag was coming up and the national anthem. and i think there was just so many years of not just hard work

but different obstacles and injuries and things i had to overcome in being over the hill at just 18 years old. >> you were ancient. >> what am i going to be now? like a dinosaur. so so many different thoughts and feelings were going through our minds. to know it finally worked. america gets a lot of bad wrap. but america has been good to you and your neam. >> it definitely has. it's given us amazing opportunities. and to have not just one, bethree gymnastic schools in the gymnastics area. and every day you walk into the gym and thankful for opportunities that this country has given us, and to be able to represent them is a huge honor to me to be able to wear the american flag on my leotard. >> do you have dual citizenship? >> i do.

>> so do you consider yourself really american or both? >> you know, it's hard to answer that question. i think -- i definitely consider myself america just because i grew up here. i -- more than likely, this is my first language. i can speak fluent in russia -- >> speak to me in russia. >> what do you want me to say? >> the only russian i know is -- [ speaking russian [. which i think means i love you. [ speaking russian ] >> that means i love you. >> my wife won't be happy. i don't care. a bit more. tell me a little bit. talk in olympic speak. >> okay. [ speaking russian ] >> it's a very sexy language, isn't it? >> not knocking the way dallas people speak. >> it's funny because every time i go back to russia, they say i have an american accent speaking

russian. i didn't know that was possible. thanks. but you know, it was funny growing up my parents have more of an accent. we watched like barney and sesame street together. that's how they learned english. any time we see that, it's so funny that i started going to preschool and kindergarten. they were looking over my shoulder trying to learn it with me. to see how far we've come, it's very inspiring to me. they're my parents and i look up to them. but i look up to them for more reasons than being my parent. it takes a lot to get on a plane -- >> incredible courage. >> a lot of courage. and courage is a main thing that got me to where i am today. many people said i wouldn't make the olympic team because i was

too old and too injured. to have the courage. to step up and to keep going after your dreams. >> let's take a little break. i want to talk to you about the fact that you shouldn't be here. you said you weren't going to be competing. then you became the come-back kid at the grand old age of -- how old are you? >> 22. >> ridiculous. you're finished. after the break we'll discuss this.

how did i get here? dumb luck? or good decisions? ones i've made. ones we've all made. about marriage. children. money. about tomorrow. here's to good decisions. who matters most to you says the most about you. massmutual is owned by our policyholders so they matter most to us. massmutual. we'll help you get there.

but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn who helped us weigh and understand all our options. for me cancer was as scary as a fastball is to some of these kids. but my coach had hit that pitch before. turning data into useful answers. we're 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare.

i'm back with pride of america. a look at the country's olympic athletes as they prepare for london. before the break, i was talking to them last year, liukin is a remarkable young woman. who is certain to collect even more medals this summer. here's more from my interview

with nastia. nastia, you shouldn't really be here. you were not going to compete in the london olympics. >> you know, there's something about the sport of gymnastics and the olympic games. so many people can explain to you what an olympics games is like. until you're there and participating, there's no greater feeling than representing your country and just competing on the biggest stage in the world. and something like the olympic games, there's so many countries involved that it doesn't matter what's going on in your country, everybody forgets about it for two weeks. people have their countries on the back and just know that everybody is there for that one passion. gymnastics is something i have such a huge passion for. at the end of august 2012

looking back, i didn't want any regrets. what if? i didn't want to think what if i would have tried. what if i would have given it my all and could i have made another olympic team? could i have won another gold medal? could i help team usa win a gold medal? >> do you think you can win gold? >> i think so. i don't think i would be doing it if i didn't think that way. my dad is a perfectionist. it's the way i live my life in and out of gymnastics. even in school. nothing was acceptable besides all a's in school. that was the way i was raised. i believe in this. i believe i can do this. the odds may not be in my favor. i want to show everyone you can still compete when you're 22 years old. >> if you win gold at this olympics and achieve the last remaining great ambition for

you, what then? would you consider completely retiring? would you like to continue in another form? >> i was thinking i would retire until my dad, who coaches me still, said maybe you should compete at another world championships and do another year. that thought never entered my mind until he said that. i don't know really. i don't know what tu next few months will bring me. i don't know what the olympics will bring me. i do want to go to school. i'm hoping to go to nyu in january. i've put that on hold for about five years now. education has always been very important to my family. so no matter what your accomplishments are in the sport of gymnastics, i believe that bl get you pretty far with an education. i know that i'll be involved in the sport for the rest of my

life. hopefully creating a show or tour or summer camp. i'm not sure i would coach. leave it to my dad. >> he's obviously pretty good, your dad. >> he is. apparently so. >> living proof. >> yeah, living proof. >> what do you think it takes to be an olympic champion? >> it takes a lot of hard work. a lot of discipline. a lot of courage. motivation. and it's very hard to find that sometimes. especially on the days when you don't want to get out of bed. but i never took a single holiday off. i was the only one in the gym with my dad on christmas day, new year's eve. >> do you feel like you've missed out on the youth. when you see them going out and having a good time, there must be moments when you wish you could go get wrecked tonight. maybe there are not.

>> i never felt those moments are worth it to me. nothing can compare to that moment. not a single night of going out. not a single night of hanging out with your friends. the moments like that, the people who will be there for you the rest of your life are going to understand. it's finding the people and the friends and your family will be there. but it's the friends that they support you and that they know you have to be in bed at 9:30 or 10:00 every night and can't go out on the weekends. i think it's totally worth it. >> who are your great role models. >> besides my parents, because i just feel like not just in the

sport, but what they did and they are my parents. looking at it from the side and just walking into the gym every single morning at 7:30 and realizing, you know, when it's dark and just knowing they created this with their own hands. >> what do you say to young americans who maybe have gone astray. for whatever reason. bad parenting, whatever it may be. what can you say to them to try to get them to take a different path? >> i think it's really important to understand that you can achieve anything that you set your mind to. as long as you do have something in your mind, such as a goal or a dream then you can achieve it. don't ever be afraid to be told you can't do something. i learned that at a young age. so many people told me i wouldn't be strong enough or i would be too tall or too old and

this or that. as long as you can tell yourself this is what i'm going to achieve, and this is what my goal is. you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. you have to work hard every single day. if it is 365 days a year for five years. whatever the circumstances are, you have to be able to do that. being scared is one of the things that can really go from one side to the other side. you have to be fearless in whatever it is you do and not just flipping on a four-inch wide beam, but taking chances and making sure you life without any regrets. >> it's been a pleasure. best of luck in my hometown. you'll have a bit of feeling. you have the icy look about you when you talk about winning. >> thank you. i hope so. fingers crossed. >> good luck. >> next, a young man from the bronx who was born to an olympian. incredible story. coming up next. a party? [ music plays, record skips ]

hi, i'm new ensure clear. clear, huh? my nutritional standards are high. i'm not juice or fancy water, i'm different. i've got nine grams of protein. twist my lid. that's three times more than me! twenty-one vitamins and minerals and zero fat! hmmm. you'll bring a lot to the party. [ all ] yay! [ female announcer ] new ensure clear. nine grams protein. zero fat. twenty-one vitamins and minerals. in blueberry/pomegranate and peach. refreshing nutrition in charge! [ male announcer ] we believe in thinking day and night... about your dog's nutrition. like the dual-defense antioxidants in our food that work around the clock... supporting your dog's immune system on the inside... while helping to keep his skin and coat healthy on the outside. with this kind of thinking going into our food... imagine all the goodness that can come out of it. just one way we're making the world a better place... one pet at a time. purina one smartblend.

what ? customers didn't like it. so why do banks do it ? hello ? hello ?! if your bank doesn't let you talk to a real person 24/7, you need an ally. hello ? ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense.

of all the incredible stories of america's olympic hopefuls, one that stands out before so many is -- his childhood wasn't easy. with his parent's determination and his own drive, joran hn is on the gymnastics team. he's an extraordinary young man, as i found out. >> so john, you have been described as a 5'4" power ball. >> wow is that how you see jo s jours. >> who happens to be in gold -- this is what one of your coaches said about you. i've never seen any athlete with so much raw talent. he's like the lebron james and michael jordan of gymnastics. he's that good. >> i never thought anybody would

compare me to those great athletes and the sport that they represent. you know, i'm just trying to follow my dream and do what i love to do. >> let's go back to the bronx. not the best place in the world to grow up. and yet it's produced many outstanding people. tell me about your early life in the bronx. what was it like? >> growing up in the bronx, especially as a gymnast, not easy. i got teased a lot as a kid. you know, a lot of back handed jokes. a lot of negativity thrown at me when i was a kid. >> what did being a gymnast mean in the bronx? what did they tease you about? what did they say to you? >> the gymnast. what are you, gay? do you go around flipping like a cheerleader? what is that going to do?

>> it wasn't masculine enough for them. >> no, definitely not masculine thing to do. >> and the irony of what you do is it's one of the toughest as far as physical strength. >> it is one of the toughest sports in the world. yeah. it's just that they didn't understand what it took to be a gymnast, to be a world class gymnast. they didn't understand. i knew that. that's why i wouldn't get mad. i would simply say, okay, i can throw a baseball. i can shoot a basketball. i can kick a soccer ball. let's see your back hand spring. and then their eyes would be like, what? and i said now you understand. because it's just that they can't relate. it's not something that everyone can do. can just go in the gym and do double flip, double twist and stick. >> i watch it and i can't imagine why anybody would want to do it. i'm like, you guys are crazy.

why gymnastics? was there something you saw on television? was there something you idoli d idolized? >> i took to gymnastics because it's one of the most challenging sports in the world. it's a great challenge. i remember watching the 2000 olympic games and seeing the gymnastics team compete and remembering, i want to do that one day. you know. i remember sitting with my family and thinking, wow, this is the greatest thing i've ever seen, you know. and then my dad got me into it when i was 8 years old. he works for the department of sanitation. so he came in. he was on the job one day in the city. he picks up a flier for gymnastics trial in the nearby gymnasium in the city. so he braulought it home. i was already competing e incom.

and so he brought it home. before i got to the gym, i could hear the noises like the bar squeaking and people landing on their feet in the mats and loud slamming noises. i got so excited walking in. >> you just knew? i felt it. i knew it was happening. i was 8 years old. it was supposed to be for 9-year-olds and up. he said, i'm sorry. we can't have him in here. he's not old enough. he said, he loves doing flips everywhere. just give him a chance. so he gave me the chance. i'm so grateful that he did. that's the moment i knew i love this sport. >> your parents were very dedicated to you. your mom used to drive you, often to a three-hour commute from the bronx, one of the roughest parts of new york, to

west chester, the posh end. which is two completely different worlds. >> yeah, it is. >> how did you feel? going from one place to somewhere completely different? >> i'm glad i got the training in west chester. and going back to the bronx, it's my home. it's where i live. i feel comfortable. >> what are good things about the bronx? it gets a bad wrap. >> it does. >> what are the good parts of you that come from being a bronx guy sfwh. >> look at my parents. they raised me to be the man i am now. with people like that in the bronx, it can't be that bad, right? it's not so bad. my neighborhood is by the river. i can see manhattan by the river. and it's only as bad as you make it out to be. going from there to west chester is a lot different.

the people are different. but it's all the same to me. i treat everyone with respect. i treat everyone the same. >> do you get into fights as a kid in the bronx? everybody out to fight? >> no, it's not like a boxing match every time you walk out your house. but it was a sad day. we were actually coming from my brother's confirmation at church sunday. and my brother, one of my older brothers, his name is emanuel. we got into a little spif going home. and it's just spiralled out of control so quickly. i don't even really remember it. but we were going home one day. -- that day. it started as an argument. it got into a physical altercation. and all the sudden, not even exaggerating, there were 30 guys, 20 guys, that showed up

and started attacking all of us. and there were only four of us. and i was 10 years old at the time. and my brother was 12. 20 and 27. and 30 versus 4. and the cops were called by pedestrians. they saw sightings of a gun throughout the rumble, knives. >> knives as well? >> yeah. >> and my brother was attacked pretty badly, and he had to spend a few days in the hospital. >> he was stabbed? >> no. thank god. but it's -- >> what did it teach you? the incident? >> that life is unpredictable. an you can't hold onto that. i let it go in the past. and i just -- i don't think about it now. because we're stronger now that we went through it. but it's not something i keep with me. if i did, it would destroy me. >> you've got out of the bronx

now. you live elsewhere. you go backwards. your family is still there. your parents have both suffered from ill health and stuff. do you see in the future a life for them out of the bronx? >> absolutely. the whole reason i got so serious about gymnastics was to make a better life for myself and make a better life for my family. and that's what set out to do since i made the commitment to myself to make the olympic team and reach my goals and dreams. and one day i'm going to do it. it's a lot of pressure. but i'll take it on. >> they tell a very moving story of when you got your first paycheck and came back. and you gave it all to your parents. >> yeah. >> and said, that's to help pay off the mortgage. they both found that a profoundly moving moment in their lives. and a vindication of all the effort they made for you. >> ever since i was little the

number one priority for me was helping out my family any way i can. i remember i started bagging at the grocery store when i was 13 years old and getting just little junk change and bringing it home and saying, look i got this money. it's like 3 bucks in total. and then i started working when i was 14 at my gym and brought home the first paycheck. and i said, here mom. put this towards the mortgage and everything. because i didn't care what i was doing or what was happening around me. all i cared about was my family and making sure that everything was okay. and that's the reason i do gymnastics now. and i want to make sure no one in my family has to worry about things like that again. i don't want any burdens restricting us in that way. >> hold that thought.

i'm going to come back in a moment after the break. [ woman ] for the london olympic games, our town had a "brilliant" idea. support team usa and show our olympic spirit right in our own backyard. so we combined our citi thankyou points to make it happen. tom chipped in 10,000 points. karen kicked in 20,000. and by pooling more thankyou points from folks all over town, we were able to watch team usa... [ cheering ] in true london fashion. [ male announcer ] now citi thankyou visa card holders can combine the thankyou points they've earned and get even greater rewards. ♪

back now with pride of america. a special on the olympic athletes who will speak in london. before the break i spoke with john orozco. he's in a class all by himself. what does it take to be as good as you were at what you do? >> i would say it takes a lot of will power. and a lot of sacrifice. and a lot of self motivation. you're not going to walk in every day and feel like it's a great day and you want to get all this stuff done. drinking a few beers, chatting up a few women. this is not a world you're allowed to do? >> it's not. but the way i see it, i'm chasing my dreams right now, and i'm doing what i love to do.

and there will be time for that after i achieve my goals and dreams. so for right now, i'm focusing on what i need to do so that in the future i can enjoy all those things. >> if you perform at your absolute best, what can you achieve in london? >> i think if i do my absolute be best, i think i have a chance of being on the medal stand. that's my goal. as well as my individual goal, as a team goal. we want to get up there. tu americans, top three at least, on the podium stand. >> if you win a gold, how is that going to make you kneel? boy from the bronx winning an olympic gold medal. standing on that podium. the american national anthem playing. >> that would be a dream come true. that would mean everything i suffered through has finally

been worth it. that would be the moment my life would change. >> an emotional moment for you? >> definitely. and my family. that would mean my life has changed and my family's life would change in just that moment. >> now you're a good looking young man. i'm told that you're one of the more popular characters in the olympic team with the ladies. >> really? i am? >> that's what i'm hearing. how are you doing to deal with the theangs that comes your way when you compete in the olympics and possibly win a gold medal. you ready for screaming women chasing you down the street? >> oh, yeah. my philosophy for women, i'm not going to go out there and try to find, you know, the love of my life. i think if it's meant to happen, it will happen, and she'll find me. or i'll find her. but not looking for her. but the whole -- all the media and all the attention.

it's going to be fun. i can't let it stress me out. >> and if you win the gold, can you imagine all the guys that teased you are going to be thinking? a tiny little bit of, i told you? >> come on. it will be a little bit. >> i don't think so. i'm not a vengeful person. >> i don't mean vengeful, but more like vindication. >> maybe a little bit. >> it will just be more about now you understand. now you understand, you know. not so much, i told you so. everyone that told me that i couldn't do what i was trying to do or tried to tease me about what i love. try to take what i love and

crush my spirits with it, i think they'll all realize now. this was never a joke. it was never something to be teased about. >> and final question. what does being an american mean to you? >> being an american. >> it means that i get to enjoy life in the best country in the world, as i see it. on my way to the olympics and wearing that on my back proudly and represent my whole country. not just my country, my family. it's going to be a great honor. i can't wait. >> john, all the best. >> thank you. >> see you in london. >> next, young world champion now heading to london. i'll talk to this olympic hopeful coming up.

♪... ♪... ♪... choose the perfect hotel to provide a better benefits package... oahhh! [ male announcer ] it made a big splash with the employees. [ duck yelling ] [ male announcer ] find out more at... [ duck ] aflac! [ male announcer ] ...forbusiness.com. ♪ ha ha! a body at rest tends to stay at rest...

while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. celebrex can be taken with or without food. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death.

patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion.

london games are just around the corner. fast approaching and america's

greatest athletes cannot wait. here's my interview with alec. ali, how are you? >> i'm very good. how are you? >> you're 17 years old, but in gymnastics terms, you're quite old? >> yea, i'm definitely considered old for gymnastics. you have to be 16 to go to this the olympics. i'm going to be 18 soon. i guess two years over what is considered young. i'm very excited and a little bit anxious. i can't wait. i've been working so hard. i'm so excited. >> you have the hardest handshake of any 17-year-old, male or female, i have ever experienced. >> i do a lot of conditioning. my coaches always have us do a lot of strength so we're really powerful. but i've never gotten that compliment before. >> you are just ridiculously strong. you have to be, i guess.

some of the things you do are incredibly tough, physically. >> yeah, definitely. i mean, i guess you need a lot of hand strength for bars, too, so maybe that's why i'm used to just grabbing onto the bar really tight. i'm used to that. but for other events like floor of strength for that as well. >> the amount of training you do for this kind of thing must be absurd. it's just relentless, isn't it? >> definitely. i do about about 7, 7 1/2 hours a day. it's a ton of training and hard work but it's paying off. i still love it. i'm just enjoying what i have been doing. >> your mates are off down -- i don't know where they go. the nightclubs. having fun, listening to music. going out, eating bad food. having doughnuts. don't you miss any of that? >> i mean, i used to miss it. i had to sacrifice my senior year and i'm still going to prom and graduation, but i'm finishing the year online. it was definitely hard.

but to say i'm an olympic hopeful and to be travel and be on the show with you and do so many cool experiences i wouldn't trade it for anything and it's just such an honor to be able to compete for the united states. >> so you don't feel like you're missing out? >> no, i don't at all. >> you do school online. >> i do school online. it's a lot easier and less stressful because i can do a little bit of homework in between workouts and rest. >> is winning an him gold for you the absolute number one dream? >> yeah, definitely winning the olympic gold. it gives me chills thinking about it. i have been dreaming about that ever since i was a little girl. to be able to accomplish that is just so surreal. and every day when i'm in the gym that's all i think about. >> is it literally? for all seven hours a day? you're thinking of that gold medal, the podium, the american anthem? >> yeah, definitely. especially in the car ride to and from gym i find myself spacing out a lot. just visualizing what the olympics would be and just

having such great role models when i go to texas i see the other girls so it's inspiring to see what they have accomplished. i want to be there some day too. >> any boys on the horizon? are you allowed to have boyfriends? >> right now, i don't have a boyfriend, but maybe after the summer i would want a boyfriend. >> so they're banned before the olympics? >> yeah. i talk to boys but i don't have a boyfriend. but i'm going to prom with one of my guy friends, jamie. >> is he like a boyfriend? >> no, but he's a very nice guy and he's one of my good friends. >> so you get to go to the prom. you will graduate. so that's important to you, right? >> yeah. that's very important to me. it's really great that i'm able to have such a great gymnastics careers and also be able to experience the regular school life as well. >> now, your mom is here with you. who looks almost exactly like you do. only with reddish hair. how important is your mom to you? because i know you started all this when you went to a mommy and me class when you were 3 years old, right?

>> yeah. my mom is so important to me. she's so supportive. she's like my best friend. we have so much fun together. and i love to be able to travel with her because we get to have a great time together and she makes me laugh. without her support i wouldn't haven't been able to do anything. >> are you a good loser? >> i do not like to lose at all, but it motivates me and i believe everything happens for a reason. if i get second or third place it motivates me to do better for next time. >> what does it mean to you to be an american in the olympics? >> it means everything to me just to be able to represent the united states. it's so amazing and so crazy and just to be able to be on that team and just to be able to have the usa on my back means everything to me. >> well, aly, best of luck. i think you'll win gold. i have a funny feeling about you. you seem determined to me. >> thank you. thank you. next a preview of my surprising interview with olympic legend michael phelps.

we love theme parks but with four kids, it can just be too expensive. yeah, so to save money we just de our own. oh no! what could be worse than ninety-foot swells?! typhoon! first prize! it's a cheese grater. wooooo... this isn't scary. are you kidding me? look at that picture of your mom's hair from the '80s. there's an easier way to save. wooohooo... geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. britta olsen is my patient. i spend long hours with her checking her heart rate,

administering her medication, and just making her comfortable. one night britta told me about a tradition in denmark, "when a person dies," she said, "someone must open the window so the soul can depart." i smiled and squeezed her hand. "not tonight, britta. not tonight." [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson. i'm here to unleash my inner cowboy. instead i got heartburn. [ horse neighs ] hold up partner. prilosec isn't for fast relief. try alka-seltzer. it kills heartburn fast. yeehaw!

michael phelps has gone into the history books. he's won 16 olympics medals, but he wants to add more to the collection in london. his desire to win is huge. i sat down with him for a remarkably candid interview. what he said will surprise you as much as it surprised me. we'll bring that to you in a few weeks but here's ane