Former Gold Medal-winning U.S. gymnast Nastia Liukin has hired Diane McNamara -- founder of Boston-based Fire It Up, PR -- to represent her. The gymnast had been working with agent Evan Morgenstein, founder of PMG Sports, since before the '08 Beijing Games. Liukin is McNamara's first Olympic client. Her firm was an agency of record for the USOC and NBC Olympics for the '08, '10 and '12 Games and helped both entities place stories on athletes in media outlets throughout the U.S. McNamara said she is working with Liukin to launch a line of petite sportswear for women and develop a docu-drama for TV. McNamara said she will look to represent other Olympians in the future, but added that she will only represent retired athletes. She said, "I am approached by athletes everyday. I have to be very careful about who we work with. If they're currently Olympians, that's something I wouldn't take on (because) I represent all of the athletes attending the Games, and I couldn't pick one out of that. It wouldn't be fair." McNamara hopes to continue working with the USOC and NBC Olympics.
