Meet The Elite: Alexis Vasquez

Alexis Vasquez is one of the few up and coming stars from Chows Gymnastics. A few years ago she packed her bags and moved far from home just to train with Chow and chase her Olympic dream. Now she prepares to enter the senior ranks as one of the top gymnasts in the country. In 2014, which was only her second year at the elite level, she improved her ranking at the P&G Championships from 15th all-around to 5th all-around! She also claimed the national title on beam and was named to the junior National Team. That's pretty impressive for a girl who's only fourteen years old!

We recently did a Q&A with Alexis. Check out what she had to say down below!

Photo Credit: USA Gymnastics

You moved from California all the way to Iowa to train with Chow. How did you make this decision? 
I made the decision about three years ago. I was already going to quit my old gym, but I still wanted to pursue my Olympic dream. My first thought was to train at Chows Gymnastics! After continuously talking with my parents, we decided it would be worth it.

Can you describe training with Chow and your teammates; Victoria, Norah and Rachel? 
Chow is a great coach. He knows how to make working hard everyday a fun and enjoyable experience. It's great having Victoria, Norah and Rachel as teammates. They are all very hard workers and very fun to be around. We all cheer each other on and push each other when we need it most!

Photo Credit: Christy Ann Linder

How would you describe yourself, in and out of the gym? 
Inside and outside of the gym I'm pretty serious, but I'm more talkative outside of the gym.

Can you talk about your experience at Championships last year?
I'm very pleased with how I did on each event. Ultimately making the National Team and winning beam was a great experience.  

Going in to Championships did you have any idea that you could potentially win the beam title? 
No, I didn't think winning beam was possible at the time. Mainly because I only started full routines about two weeks before the meet due to my hip injury, I was very surprised and happy that I won beam!

In what ways do you hope to improve for next year? 
Next year I would like to keep healthy and improve my execution and difficulty on all of the events.

Are you nervous to be joining the senior ranks? What are some of your goals? 
Yes, I'm a little nervous. My goals being a senior are to be given an international assignment and to stay healthy.

What are your long term goals? 
To be on the Olympic team and to be accepted into a great academic college!

Do you have an idea of where you would like to go for college? 
Well, I'm not sure yet. Right now I'm just concentrating on my debut as a senior.

What do you like to do when you're not in the gym?
Well other then having to do homework; I like to paint canvases, bake, and play with my poodle.

If you could have the career of any gymnast who would it be and why?
I'd like to have the career of Elizabeth Price because even though she didn't make the Olympic team, she had a very successful elite career and got a scholarship to Stanford.

Out of all the leotards you've worn, which one is your favorite? 
My favorite would be the red one that I wore this year at P&G's. Probably because my favorite color is red!

Photo Credit: Christy Ann Linder

What was the hardest skill for you to learn?
The hardest skill for me to learn would probably be a blind change on bars, like a giant half!

If you weren't a gymnast what sport would you do? 
I would probably do short distance running and pole vault!

What is one thing you asked for for Christmas? 
I asked for a Plum Leo!