For her third birthday, Sarah Persinger got her first leotard and a carpeted balance beam. Two weeks later, she enrolled in gymnastics, and has been doing the sport year-round ever since.

Sarah, 14, was born on December 20, 1992, in Charlotte, North Carolina. From the time she could walk, she would try to imitate gymnasts and ice skaters on television.

Her rise through the J.O. levels began at age 6 when, as a Level 4, she placed first all-around in her first-ever competition. She qualified for State Meet that fall, competed one mobility Level 5 meet in the spring, and made Level 6 State the following fall. By age 8, she was the youngest optional-level gymnast in North Carolina.

Sarah was Level 7 State vault champion and, at Level 8, was first alternate on the Regional team. She qualified for Eastern Nationals at Level 9, when she switched to her current gym, Southeastern Gymnastics in Weddington, North Carolina.

In 2006, Sarah had her most productive year of competition. As a 13-year-old Level 10, she placed first all-around in four regular-season meets, was first on every event at her State Meet, finished first all-around at Regionals and was fourth at Nationals in Oklahoma City, where she also won national titles on vault and bars.

Two months later, Sarah qualified Elite and competed in the U.S. Classic in Kansas City, Missouri.

She has made several trips to the National Team Training Center near Houston, Texas, for camps and competitions. In May 2007, she was fourth at the American Classic and second on floor.

Sarah has two brothers – one older, one younger – and two dogs, a cocker spaniel and a poodle-spitz mix. Her goal is to make national team and represent the United States in international competitions. She also hopes to attend college and double major in Business and Interior Design.