Ashton Kim was born on August 25, 1998. She began gymnastics at Sunbelt but moved to Texas Dreams Gymnastics at the age of six. She will graduate from high school in 2016.
Ashton competed level four in September of 2005. She won bars at the District Qualifier. In 2006, she competed at the Level 6 State Championships. She finished in the top ten on floor. She made the National TOPs Diamond Level Team in the fall. In 2007, she made the National TOPs Team. Ashton competed level eight in 2008. She placed fourth on bars at the Rose City Classic. She finished tenth on vault and floor at the Level 8 State Championships. In May, she tested elite compulsories. She made the National TOPs "A" Team in the fall.
She moved up to level nine in 2009. At the State Championships, she placed in the top ten on beam. In June, she qualified to hopes elite at the Texas Dream Elite Qualifier. She won vault and bars at the Parkettes Elite Qualifier. She finished third all-around in optionals at the July National Elite Qualifier. Ashton ended her season at the US Challenge where she finished second overall. on the individual events, she placed third on vault and bars and second on floor. Ashton made her final National TOPs Team in the fall.
Ashton began her 2010 season at the Arizona Elite Qualifier, where she finished ninth in the all-around and fifth on uneven bars. There, she qualified to junior international elite as well as to the VISA Championships in Hartford, CT. In July, Ashton placed sixth in the all-around at the Texas Elite Qualifier. She then traveled to Chicago, IL for the US Covergirl Classic, where she only did uneven bars. Unfortunately, Ashton was unable to compete at the VISA Championships due to an injury.
Photos © Paul Kim
