Madison 12-Year-Old is State Champ in Gymnastic Competition

Photo credit: Asha-Bild photography

MADISON, CT - A 12-year-old phenom who is a seventh-grader at Polson Middle School is leading her "Level 7" gymnastic team to record-setting levels. Natalie Tanner was the "Level 7" state champion at the Connecticut state gymnastics meet, scoring an all around score of 37.975.

Her individual scores were 9.55 on vault; 9.625 on bars; 9.3 on beam; 9.5 on floor.

She will be representing Connecticut at the "Level 7" regionals on April 28-29th in in Springfield, Mass.

Natalie said she's been doing gymnastics ever since she was 4 years old. "I love it," she said in a recent interview, taking a break from her rigorous training regiment in which she trains 25 hours, 6 days a week.

She said her favorite exercise is floor.

She said her overall goal is to get a Division 1 gymnastics scholarship - perhaps to the University of Georgia, which is where her father went to school.

Natalie has a 10-year-old younger brother, who likes baseball, football and basketball, according to his sister.

Natalie also gives a lot of credit to her parents and her coaches - Brock Freehling and Dawn Albon.