COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
When it comes to Olympic champions we know them by first names, but in a few years a gymnast from the Midlands could be added to the list.
A premier training facility in Columbia has produced numerous state and regional champions along with national qualifiers.
Carolina Gymnastics is where they start training early and Olympic dreams begin.
For 10-year-old Taylor Legrand training began at a really early age.
"Before I could actually walk I was doing forward rolls," said Legrand. "So my mom thought gymnastics would be good, so she put me in a class and I loved it"
And she still loves it! Legrand works out four days a week and commutes one hour round trip.
Legrand has to do homework in the car to keep up at school, but she says it's worth it, to be like her favorite gymnast, Gabby Douglas!
"She's pretty and tall and all of her lines were always straight," Legrand added.
It's not just little girls with big dreams Carolina Gymnastics has a competitive boys team too.
Fifteen year old Anthony Maccallum is one of the rising stars, who's already nationally ranked.
"Well I did a lot of sports, but my parents saw that I was really good at gymnastics," said Maccallum. "I had a lot of energy, and it was just natural for me I guess"
Taming the pummel horse is one of his best events. He just returned from an elite camp where he attracted the attention of college scouts.
"It's a tough sport because you're constantly striving to be perfect," said Maccallum.
In a sport where dreams hang on every twist and turn and every tumble or stumble.
Coach Joanne Child says the way to develop the heart and the skill of a champion is to stay focused on the goal.
"I think the most gratifying thing is to see a child struggle with a skill, they have in their mind I can't, I can't and then when they do it, you can just see their whole face light up," said Child. "It teaches them, when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and if they keep preserving they're going to do well"
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