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Megan began gymnastics at the age of three. When Megan saw her brother doing gymnastics, she wanted to do it as well. She began her competitive career at Southern California Elite Gymnastics Academy (SCEGA), and was the youngest gymnast in their history at every level.
In 2004, Megan competed as a level seven at the age of 8. She won the all-around title at the California Classic, and placed 3rd on Bars at Level 7 State.
She moved up to level eight in 2005 as a 9 year old. Megan placed fifth in the all-around and second on floor exercise with a 9.65 at the WOGA Classic. She finished third in the all-around at the Surf City Classic, as well as 1st on Bars. At the San Diego Classic she continued her winning streak on Bars with a 9.675. Megan won a silver medal in the all-around at the California Classic, and again won Bars with a 9.625. Megan won the Hard Rock Invitational which included a Hard Rock jacket. At the Level 8 State Championships, she finished second in the all-around with a 37.75. Megan also finished second on balance beam and uneven bars. She concluded her 2005 season at the Level 8 Regional Championships, where she finished second in the all-around, third on balance beam and won her first Regional Champion Title on Bars with a 9.6. She was also chosen as a Regional One Team Member and won 1st place for the Southern California Team.
Megan moved up to level nine in 2006 as a 10 year old. She finished fourth in the all-around at the Long Beach Open and also won Beam with a 9.5. Megan placed third in the all-around at the California Classic. She won a silver medal on floor exercise at the Golden State Friendship Challenge. At the Level 9 State Championships, she finished second in the all-around, second on balance beam and achieved her first State Title on Bars. Her next meet was the Level 9 Regional Championships in Utah, where she placed second in the all-around and became a Regional Champion on Bars for the 2nd year in a row. This qualified her for the Western Championships. At Westerns, Megan finished in the top twenty all-around! She also won a silver medal on uneven bars with a 9.525.
In 2007, Megan reached the highest level of the Junior Olympic program, level ten. She finished fifth in the all-around and second on uneven bars at the Level 10 State Championships. At the Level 10 Regional Championships, Megan placed in the top seven with a 37.15. This qualified her for her first Junior Olympic National Championships in Mason. Ohio. She also represented the Region One Junior Olympic Team which placed 2nd.
After the JO Nationals, Megan then competed at several elite qualifiers. She finished third overall at the American Challenge with a 52.15, and placed 1st on Compulsory Bars. At the National Qualifier in Texas she placed 1st on floor with a 13.70 as well as 1st on her compulsory Bars. Megan ended her season at the US Challenge with a sixth place finish. Megan was invited to a developmental training camp in Texas later that Fall, but struggled with injuries during the off-season.
She began her comeback by competing two events at the Heart of a Champion Invitational in 2008, as well as Carter's Invitational where she placed 2nd on Beam with a 9.5. She competed all four events at the Level 10 State Championships. She placed fifth in the all-around, third on uneven bars and 2nd place on balance beam with a 9.525. Megan won the uneven bars title again at the Level 10 Regional Championships with a 9.625. A rough outing on balance beam left her in ninth place all-around, just missing making the JO National Championships. After the Level 10 Regional Championships, she successfully made pre-elite again.
After the 2008 season, Megan made the decision to leave her life-long gym and commute north to Precision Gymnastics to train under Trent and Jill Spaulding.
Megan had a successful 2009 season! She began by winning the vault, uneven bars and all-around titles at the Surf City Classic. She finished third in the all-around at the AOGC Invitational, Long Beach Open , where she won floor, and Heart of a Champion Invitational. She finished second in the all-around at the Glider Invitational. At the Level 10 State Championships, she won bronze medals on vault and in the all-around as well as silver on uneven bars. Megan then won the all-around title at the Level 10 Regional championships in Sacramento, with a 37.425. She also won silver on vault and uneven bars. Megan qualified for her second Junior Olympic National Championships in Seattle, where she finished fourth on vault with a 9.575, and fifth on uneven bars. She was also a member of the Region One Team.
So far in 2010, Megan placed seventh in the all-around and second on vault at the AOGC Elite National Qualifier. At the Long Beach Open, Megan placed second in the all-around, third on vault and second on uneven bars and floor exercise. Next, Megan finished third in the all-around, third on vault and second on floor exercise at the Malibu Classic in the elite division. At the Level 10 SoCal State Championships, she won the all-around title with a 37.450! She also placed second on vault, first on uneven bars and third on floor exercise. Megan finished sixth overall and won a gold medal on vault at the Level 10 Region 1 Championships. There, she qualified to her third Junior Olympic Nationals in Dallas, Texas. At the beginning of May, Megan traveled to Dallas, Texas for the JO Nationals, where she finished impressive fourth in the all-around out of 56 gymnasts! She also placed sixth on vault and fourth on balance beam. There, she made the Junior Olympic National Team.
Right after the JO Nationals, Megan competed at the Arizona National Elite Qualifier, where she finished sixth in the all-around, fourth on vault and 3rd on balance beam and floor exercise. She then traveled to Florida for another qualifier. There, she qualified to junior international elite as well as to the VISA Championships after placing fourth in the all-around. At the US Covergirl Classic in Chicago, IL, Megan placed 26th overall and 19th on floor exercise. Megan concluded her long 2010 season at the VISA Championships in Hartford, CT, where she finished 33rd in the all-around, 28th on vault and 24th on floor exercise.
Currently, Megan trains 36 hours a week under Trent and Jill Spaulding. She also commutes 125 miles a day which adds up to 50 hours a week of traveling and training. She is looking forward to her 2011 elite season, where she hopes to have a successful season as a senior international elite gymnast. Megan's long-term goal is to receive a full ride scholarship to a Division I school.
Megan Mercedes Jimenez was born on March 27, 1995 in Temecula, California to Laurence and Mary Jimenez. Megan has two siblings, Evan (16) and Elan (8). Megan is currently a sophomore at Temecula Valley High school, where her favorite subjects are Spanish, Math, and Biology. She is thinking about a career in Science such as a Marine Biologist or Doctor.
Megan realizes that behind every successful gymnast is a team of people that love and support her. She would like to thank her chauffeur Miss Pat for driving her each day; Miss Susan for supporting her every step of the way during her middle school years, Warm Springs Middle School and Temecula Valley High School for allowing her to leave early each day, Miss Terry for being Megan's first coach and for recognizing her desire to excel in gymnastics, Tim and Rachel Garrison for taking her to new levels and for always expecting (and getting!) the best out of her, Kathy Strate, Kathy Bader and Meredith Paulicivic for believing in her and pushing her to excel, Trent and Jill Spaulding for accepting her into their "Precision Family" no questions asked, and last, but not least, to her 2 brothers and to her mother and father who always saw her as a "champion in the making!"
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