"I'm a plus-size gymnast and competed in 40 competitions - the sport is for anyone"

  • 2 months ago
Meet the plus-sized gymnast who has competed in 40 national competitions and wants to show the sport is for anyone.

Angela Salvatore, 25, started gymnastics when she was 12-years-old and came third in the Junior Olympics in 2013.

Since then, she has entered dozens of competitions with her unique routines - most recently the NAIGC Nationals in April, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she came 39th out of 375 gymnasts.

Angela, who describes herself as plus size, says she knows she is larger than her usually-petite competitors.

But she says she hasn't been treated differently when competing against them.

She said that she has heard of the "harsh treatment" in gymnastics in the US but hasn't experienced any herself.

And says her plus-size frame does not hold her back at all - and she can still execute perfect cartwheels, vaults, tumbles and jumps.

Angela, a gymnast and producer, from Hartford, Connecticut, said: "In terms of regular gymnastics I am much bigger than my other competitors but it hasn't stopped me.

"I don't think it causes me to have any disadvantages compared to anyone else.

"Anyone can be a gymnast as long as you're willing to work hard.

"I used to dream of being in the Olympics but as I got older I just wanted to show people no matter your size or age, gymnastics is worth giving a shot."

Angela started gymnastics after her friend told her about it.

It wasn't until she went to summer camp that she started to take the sport more seriously and started going to classes.

She said: "Usually people start the sport when they are four or five.

"My parents were against it. We were not athletic and they were worried I was going to get hurt.

"I went to summer camp and that is when I started to take it more seriously."

Angela entered her first competition in 2013 after two years of training - coming third in the Junior Olympics for her solo floor routine.

She said: "I didn't have a coach for it. My mum Mary Salvatore was the coach.

"It was a lot of fun and very exciting.

"My mum didn't know much about gymnastics so I took the lead and she did what I said."

Angela now enters up to 10 national competitions a year.

Angela said: "The NAIGC Nationals was the biggest competition I have entered.

"It had people from across the US from college, students and adults.

"I had a lot of fun, I have met a lot of people from across the country.

"It is really enjoyable."

Angela used to be part of a team but now does routines solo and says it is better for her as he gets to perfect her routine her way.

She said: "I try to make a new routine each year.

"I think it is good to have the motivation of a team behind you but a positive is that is gets to perfect how I do things."

She said representation in the sport has improved since she started when she was 12.

Angela said: "When I first started there was not a lot of representation but as I got older it got better.

"Overall I think there has been a culture shift in USA gymnastics. I think there was harsh treatment but the sport has become more accessible.

"The great thing about gymnastics is meeting new people.

"With gymnastics it doesn't matter what you look like or your skill level, as long as you're having fun that is the main thing."

Category

😹
Fun
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