Meet the plus-sized gymnast who has competed in 40 national competitions and wants to show the sport is for anyone.<br /><br />Angela Salvatore, 25, started gymnastics when she was 12-years-old and came third in the Junior Olympics in 2013.<br /><br />Since then, she has entered dozens of competitions with her unique routines - most recently the NAIGC Nationals in April, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she came 39th out of 375 gymnasts.<br /><br />Angela, who describes herself as plus size, says she knows she is larger than her usually-petite competitors.<br /><br />But she says she hasn't been treated differently when competing against them.<br /><br />She said that she has heard of the "harsh treatment" in gymnastics in the US but hasn't experienced any herself.<br /><br />And says her plus-size frame does not hold her back at all - and she can still execute perfect cartwheels, vaults, tumbles and jumps.<br /><br />Angela, a gymnast and producer, from Hartford, Connecticut, said: "In terms of regular gymnastics I am much bigger than my other competitors but it hasn't stopped me.<br /><br />"I don't think it causes me to have any disadvantages compared to anyone else.<br /><br />"Anyone can be a gymnast as long as you're willing to work hard.<br /><br />"I used to dream of being in the Olympics but as I got older I just wanted to show people no matter your size or age, gymnastics is worth giving a shot."<br /><br />Angela started gymnastics after her friend told her about it.<br /><br />It wasn't until she went to summer camp that she started to take the sport more seriously and started going to classes.<br /><br />She said: "Usually people start the sport when they are four or five.<br /><br />"My parents were against it. We were not athletic and they were worried I was going to get hurt.<br /><br />"I went to summer camp and that is when I started to take it more seriously."<br /><br />Angela entered her first competition in 2013 after two years of training - coming third in the Junior Olympics for her solo floor routine.<br /><br />She said: "I didn't have a coach for it. My mum Mary Salvatore was the coach.<br /><br />"It was a lot of fun and very exciting.<br /><br />"My mum didn't know much about gymnastics so I took the lead and she did what I said."<br /><br />Angela now enters up to 10 national competitions a year.<br /><br />Angela said: "The NAIGC Nationals was the biggest competition I have entered.<br /><br />"It had people from across the US from college, students and adults.<br /><br />"I had a lot of fun, I have met a lot of people from across the country.<br /><br />"It is really enjoyable."<br /><br />Angela used to be part of a team but now does routines solo and says it is better for her as he gets to perfect her routine her way.<br /><br />She said: "I try to make a new routine each year.<br /><br />"I think it is good to have the motivation of a team behind you but a positive is that is gets to perfect how I do things."<br /><br />She said representation in the sport has improved since she started when she was 12.<br /><br />Angela said: "When I first started there was not a lot of representation but as I got older it got better.<br /><br />"Overall I think there has been a culture shift in USA gymnastics. I think there was harsh treatment but the sport has become more accessible.<br /><br />"The great thing about gymnastics is meeting new people.<br /><br />"With gymnastics it doesn't matter what you look like or your skill level, as long as you're having fun that is the main thing."
