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As a 4-year-old, beginning gymnast Carol Chang was not a happy camper. In fact, she made such a fuss that her parents allowed her to quit gym lessons after just six months.
Now, at age 13, the Sunnyvale seventh-grader is a first-year Level 10 gymnast who typically trains 30 hours a week, on top of putting in the work to earn straight A's at Cupertino Middle School.
Chang's commitment recently earned her two championships at the Region 1 meet held in April at Sacramento State University. Chang took first place on the balance beam and won the all-around competition against challengers from California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.
The regional victories qualified Chang for the Junior Olympic National championships on May 12 in Orlando, Fla. Competing against more than 50 girls ages 13 and under from eight U.S. regions, Chang tied for fifth place on the balance beam with a score of 9.45, 12th in the floor exercise (9.4) and 15th in the vault (9.374). She finished in a tie for 16th place in the all-around.
Chang went on to compete against more than 100 top gymnasts in the 2004 U.S. Challenge May 1516 in Rochester, N.Y.
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