11 Facts About Karen Kelsall

Dr Karen Kelsall was born on December 11,1962 and is a Canadian chiropractor and a retired gymnast and dancer.

Karen Kelsall was the youngest competitor at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and was one of the first Canadian gymnasts to attract attention from the international gymnastics community.

Karen Kelsall was the junior Canadian national champion in 1976, the senior National Champion in 1977 and 1980, and the British Columbian champion in 1977.

Karen Kelsall represented Canada at various international competitions from 1975 through 1980, including the 1975 Pan Am Games, where she placed thirteenth in the all-around; the 1977 American Cup, where she was the all-around bronze medalist; the 1978 World Championships and the 1978 Commonwealth Games, where she was a member of the gold medal-winning Canadian team and tied for the bronze medal in the all-around.

In 1976, the thirteen-year-old Karen Kelsall placed third at the Canadian Olympic Trials.

At the Olympics, Karen Kelsall placed a modest 27th in the all-around, but was a key member of the ninth-place Canadian team.

Canada participated in the Olympic boycott of 1980, and as such, Karen Kelsall did not have the opportunity to attend a second Olympic Games.

Karen Kelsall moved on to college, where she competed as an NCAA gymnast for the University of California, Berkeley for four years.

Karen Kelsall originated an element on balance beam, the Karen Kelsall Stretch.

Karen Kelsall is currently a chiropractor in the Pacific Northwest, with additional certification in massage therapy and other modalities.

Kelsall was featured in the book "The Making of a Gymnast: The Karen Kelsall Story" authored by Jean Boulogne.