CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A Chesterfield teen is already making a name for herself and recently qualified for a tournament of the top young gymnasts in the country.
Lexi Edwards, 14, of Chesterfield is already a 10-year veteran of her sport and began her career as a 4-year-old with a penchant for expending most of her energy by jumping on beds at home.
"[Gymnastics] let me get out my energy, because I was a very active child" Edwards said before practice at the Virginia International Gymnastics School in Chesterfield. "I like the challenges that it gives me and that I've been able to overcome. The competitions are fun and I like to meet new people."
Lexi Edwards
For many years, Virginia Beach has hosted the Excalibur Cup, a gymnastics meet that is a qualifying event for the Nastia Liukin Cup. The Liukin Cup brings together 36 of the best scholastic gymnasts in the country, many of them with Olympic aspirations and some who will indeed represent the USA in the future.
The team for this summer's Olympics in Rio de Janero will be determined later this year, but for the participants in the Liukin Cup, the 2020 games in Tokyo is a more realistic goal. It's not easy to navigate the 6800 miles between Richmond and Japan's capital and it's even harder when you try to do it four inches at a time, or, the width of a balance beam.
Edwards won the Junior Division at the Excalibur Cup and grabbed the only spot offered for the Liukin Cup competition.
Edwards is already at the highest level of competition for the Junior Division of gymnastics and her results are catching up with her ability which was evident at a very young age.
Lexi Edwards
"We've known that she's had that talent for a long time" said one of her coaches, Marshall Long. "This is finally the first year where she's really started to put it all together, going to meets and going in knowing she has a chance to win."
"She definitely loves the sports" said coach Laura Toro. "She goes home and watches YouTube videos, knows everyone that's big in gymnastics and really keeps herself educated about the sport. She knows where she wants to go."
Edwards has already attracted interest from several collegiate programs across the country, which is a decision the Monacan freshman won't have to make for some time. However, she has already made the decision to be the hardest worker in her gym, something that any coach in any sport would love to have from their most talented athlete.
"She's a great role model for all the other kids" Toro said. "She comes in every day, focused, and knows what she needs to do. She sets a great example."
The Nastia Cup will take place over the first weekend in March in Newark, NJ. More information on the event can be found here www.usagym.org.
