After she won a Silver Medal at the Team World Championships in 1994, Amy Chow set goals: make it on the Olympic team and compete in the uneven bars individual finals.

Along the way to the Olympic trials, she repeatedly showed her perserverence and ability to continue through adversity as the list of her competition accomplishments grew longer and more impressive. Her never-say-die attitude was never more tested when, during the Olympic trials, her balance failed her.

Chow fell and hit her head on the balance beam. After a few moments as the stunned crowd held its breath, she leapt back to her feet and finished her routine.

She made the Olympic team - the first ever women's gymnastic gold medal Olympic Team. And she tied for the Individual Silver Medal on the uneven bars.

Amy's gymnastics career has included many national and international wins since then, including making the 2000 Olympic team, which placed 4th in Sydney. Amy's work ethic is evident in more than just her gymnastics' accomplishments. In fact, gymnastics isn't a priority in her life; what's most important to her is her education. Weekends and evenings throughout her elementary and secondary education were spent doing home work, resulting in a 4.0 grade average as she entered Stanford. She is majoring in biology with aspirations of attending medical school and becoming a pediatrician. But she balances a lot more than that. She's an accomplished pianist. She has also competed as a diver. And her list of community service involvement is as diverse as it is long. From giving piano recitals at retirement homes to working a giving tree at Christmas. From tutoring elementary children to taking students on field day trips. From cleaning up garbage at a wildlife refuge park to giving lectures on the effects of acid rains. From working at a food bank to helping autistic children at a children's center. 

She has also participated in events such as: A Women's Sports Foundation fundraising, John Hancock's Annual Sandwich-Making, Literacy Enhancement, and Promotion (the Kidstime Challenge), Girl Scouts, Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream Foundation, Habitat for Humanity International, American Cancer Society - Courageous Kids Day, and the Farm Fresh Charitable Foundation.

Chow takes tremendous pride in being the very first Asian American to be part of Team USA. She is an exemplary role model for the Asian American community - not only through her success, discipline, and integrity in the fields of sports and gymnastics, but also through her participation in so many Asian American supportive projects and events, such as the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, the Asian American Federation, the Chinese Historical Society of America, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and Chinese Women's Association of America, the Asian Pacific American Community Fund, and the Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation.

And yet, Amy still finds time to balance her life with everyday fun. She loves listening to classical music and Celine Dion. She likes "I Love Lucy." She collects dolphin items. She likes to "goof off" with her friends.

An incredible balance in life. Maintained by an incredible young lady.