Local gymnast has Olympic-sized dreams

A local gymnast beat out thousands of others for a chance at Olympic dreams.

Tegan Nguyen, 9, competed against 3,000 other gymnasts across the country for a spot to test on the national team’s talent search and educational program or TOPs, a program for female gymnasts ages 8-10.

According to USA Gymnastics, she’s already among the best 9-year-old gymnasts in the country. 4-foot-4, 70-pound Nguyen recorded a high qualifying score this summer during state testing.

Nguyen’s score was among the top 100 in the country, qualifying her to TOPs National Testing, which will take place Oct. 11th-12 in Houston, Texas at the Women’s National Team Training Center located at Bela Karolyi’s Ranch.

“Going to Houston is really exciting because I get to compete at the Karolyi Ranch and see the National Team staff,” said Nguyen. “I worked hard to get there.”

The program helps to identify future national team members and puts them on a training regimen designed to produce Olympic-level athletes.

Nguyen trains in Palm Desert as a part of the Aftershock Gymnastics competitive team.