Jaymes Marshall
Veronica Griffin interviews Jaymes MarshallMCDONOUGH, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -
World Extreme Gymnastics in McDonough is a small gym that's home to a hard working, big dreamer of an athlete.
Jaymes Marshall, 9, is named after her father. She has been taking classes at the gym since she was 5 years old.
Jaymes has won four state championships, and now she has her eye on the 2020 Olympics.
"I work very hard and I try to focus on what I'm doing a lot," Jaymes said.
Some of her idols in include Olympians like Gabby Douglas and Shawn Johnson.
Her mother, Malika Marshall, said the aspiring gymnast picked up interest in the sport when she was 5 years old while playing with a family friend.
"One day she ran into the room and did an aerials, a cartwheel without hands," Marshall said. "Her dad looked a said, 'Oh wow.'"
Jaymes left private school to be home-schooled so she'd have more time to train.
Because of her age, Jaymes won't be eligible for the Olympics until the 2020 games.
Until then, she said she plans to work hard and stay focused.
"I won't change my mind because I really want to make it to the Olympics," Jaymes said. "And I would never quit."
If her commitment to hard work is any indication, 2020 could very well be her year.
Jaymes trains under coach Sergey Zhukov.
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