Shelby Salmon was born on July 3, 1991. She will graduate from Noblesville High School in 2010. Her cousin, Stephanie Gentry, was a former national team member and was a gymnast at Stanford. Another cousin, Tim Gentry, is currently a national team member. Shelby began gymnastics in 1996. Her favorite event is floor. She trained at Deveau's School of Gymnastics with Peter Zhao and Tom Strange until the spring of 2009. She then moved to Sharp's Gymnastics Academy. Shelby graduated from high school in 2010.

She qualified to National TOPs Testing in 2001. In 2003, Shelby competed her first season as a level ten. At the Regional Championships, she finished fourth all-around. This qualified her for the JO National Championships. In 2004, Shelby competed level ten again. She placed second all-around at the Battle of the Regions Competition. At Regionals, Shelby placed second all-around. She ended her level ten season by placing high at the JO National Championships. In May, she competed as a junior pre-elite at the US Challenge. Based on this performance, she attended several national training camps.

Shelby did not compete much in 2005. She did however finish well at the US Challenge as a junior pre-elite. In 2006, Shelby competed as a level ten. After winning the all-around title at States, she competed at Regionals. She had a rough Regional meet but was still able to qualify for the JO National Championships. At JO Nationals, she finished first on bars and fourth on floor. She also finished third all-around! This qualified her for the JO National Team. Shelby followed this performance up by placing ninth at the US Classic as a junior international elite. She ended her season at the National Championships.

In 2007, Shelby traveled to Japan with the Region V All-Star Team. In 2008, she returned to level ten from international elite. At the Indiana State Championships she won beam. At Regionals she finished second on bars and second all-around. Shelby won a silver medal on bars at JO Nationals. She committed to Arkansas in the fall of 2008. 2009 was a rough season after she moved gyms mid-season. Shelby finished ninth in the all-around at Regionals after a fall on balance beam. She won bars. In 2010, Shelby won all five gold medals at the Circle of Stars meet. She finished in the top twenty at the Nastia Liukin Cup. At Regionals, she placed second on bars and first all-around. Shelby placed fifth on bars at JO Nationals. She did not compete in the all-around. As a freshman at Arkansas in 2011, Shelby competed on bars and beam throughout the season.

Fast Facts Name: Shelby Salmon Birthday: July 3, 1991 Club: Sharps College: Arkansas

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS Full Scholarship to Arkansas Five-Time JO National Qualifier 2006: US National Qualifier 2006: US Classic- 9th AA 2006: JO Nationals- 3rd AA 2004, 2005: US Challenge Junior Pre-Elite

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Photos © Lloyd Smith, Ruth Judson