Carly Patterson

Carly Patterson on Wheaties Box (www.carlypatterson.com)

A hero in my perspective is somebody who never gives up and believes that ANYTHING is possible. A hero to me is also somebody who you can look up to as a role model. A hero can be an animal or a human being but it doesn’t matter. If they make a difference in your life that makes you proud, they are a hero. My hero in this case is Olympic Gold-Medallist Carly Patterson.

Carly Patterson started gymnastics when she was 6 years old. In just 10 years she already been to the Olympics destined for a gold medal. Carly’s goal for the gold was achieved. Patterson made it to the 2004 summer Olympics in Athens, Greece where she got 3 medals. She earned the gold medal for the all around competition (the first woman to win this for twenty years), and two silver medals for her specialty, the beam, and for the women’s USA gymnastics team.

Carly was born on February 4th, 1988 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She began gymnastics in 1994 at a friend’s birthday party at Elite Gymnastics where the head coach there had asked if she had ever taken gymnastics. Carly then started to work her gymnastics there for 5 years. She became a level 10 gymnast by 1999 and competed at her first U.S. National Championship where she got 4th all- around. After her 6th year as a gymnast, she made it to the highest level in gymnastics.

Carly Patterson waves to crowd (www.carlypatterson.com)

Carly then moved to 2 different gyms. She was then working at The World Olympics Gymnastics Academy in Dallas, Texas. This gym took her and her great ability to the World Championships where she got second to Olympic gold medallist Svetlana Khorkina from Russia. After much more work and determination, she made it to the 2004 Athens Olympic games in Athens, Greece where she competed in the all around individual competition. At this event, she ended up beating Khorkina in a tough duel.

I think that Carly is a "hero within". Carly knew that if she made her performance in Athens perfect in the all-round individual finals, she will achieve her goal in life, winning the gold. In the team finals she knew that she didn't perform her best, and that gave her the urge to win the gold in individual all around. Sure enough, she got out and did every event flawless, and then she got what she went there for, the gold medal. I think she is a great role model and that if she can believe WITHIN, she can believe in herself and succeed.

Carly Patterson shows crowd gold medal (www.carlypatterson)

I think of Carly Patterson as one my role models, because I try to be like she is when she’s in front of crowds. I am like her because I compete with cheerleading, and that includes tumbling too. Even though I’m not as advanced like she is, it just looks so easy. She is sharp and clean when she’s on her best exercise, the balance beam. Especially on the floor, I watch her moves very carefully. Just watching her lets me know that she’s a hero. Watching Carly perform also makes me want to do be a gymnast myself. She is #1 in my book because she didn't give up ever in her life in the sport of gymnastics. I believe Carly Patterson is a hero to all, because she believed that ANYTHING was possible.