After years of gymnastics training, Chelsea began to improve on the balance beam, and in floor events.
But in 2006 the Special Olympics committee of Northern California dropped its gymnastics program, forcing Chelsea's family to pay for her training.
Her father, Ray, started a nonprofit organization to help raise money for Chelsea, and she began competing as a one-person team at Special Olympics events.
Clearly, it paid off. She has won multiple national titles, as well as the International Down Syndrome Foundation World Championships title; and just last week, Chelsea met Brad Pitt at the premiere of the film Unbroken.
'Chelsea fits in to every aspect of what "Unbroken" means,' said Ms Pombo.