Jake Jacobson of American Powerhouse in Rocklin is on his way to St. Petersburg, Russia.

The 12-year-old won the World Age Group Championships final selection event late last month in Las Vegas to secure spot on the USA Team for the WAGC event Nov. 14-22 in St.

Petersburg. Jake will begin preparing for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil against 53 other boys from 31 different countries.

Competing to secure a spot for the WAGC on the four-man 11/12-year-old USA team Jake had to place 1st or 2nd at three qualifying events held throughout the last year. Only five boys made it to the final selection, three from California and two from New Jersey. Jake competes at level 11 and in competition against boys a level below at the Jr. Elite trampoline events.

He is currently the youngest elite in the United States.

“All season long everyone’s been older than me,” Jacobson said. “Their skills are more advanced than mine since this is just my first year at Jr. Elite. I’ve been finishing like 10th or 15th all year long. So it felt really good to win.”

Gymnastics has taken Jake around the world already. He’s competed in Argentina, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and now Russia.

His parents, Susan and Ron, who own and operate American Powerhouse, coach Jacobson.

“He had a very solid performance,” Susan said. “He performed a lower difficulty routine to ensure he produced a solid performance and there was no need to use his hardest skills against the lower-level boys.”

Despite the pressure Jake secured his medal. His trampoline routine had five double-flips and finished with a skill called a ‘randy ballout’, which is two-and-a-half twists performed with a full front flip off of his back.

He also qualified for double mini with only three of the six boys showing up. He placed second in the event due to some landing deductions.

“Having Jake and his caliber of talent is huge for our gym but even bigger as a father,” Ron Jacobson said.

Jake is affectionately known as a ‘gym rat.’ Playing in the gym since birth, he knew his way around a trampoline at a very young age.

According to his mother, he was born with one arm above his head.

“He looked like he came into the world saluting the judges,” Susan said.

At age five he asked if he could compete and was told he need to complete an entire two hour workout without leaving in the middle to go play around the gym.

He never looked back at that point. His parents say he never complained about practice or asked to have days off. In fact he often asked for more time.

Jake won his first nationals at age six. He has won a national title four times on trampoline and twice on double mini. He trains now four days a week for a total of 10 hours.

At the moment Jake is also playing baseball, has played soccer, flag football, golf and tried track and field. He is an avid sports enthusiast and even finds time to manage a fantasy football team.

Additionally he is in the vocal ensemble at school, plays guitar, performs in plays and maintains honor roll status academically.

“This is a big honor for our family,” Susan said. “We didn't expect him to be a gymnast. It has become a bit of a time and financial challenge since we own the gym. Fortunately we can provide him with training but being gone from the rest of the team so much is a challenge.”

To prepare himself, Jake is just training on his normal schedule, going to school and learning to speak Russian.

He and Susan flew to Orange County last weekend to train with most of the USA Men’s Trampoline Team and Olympic Coach Robert Null.

Jake has had a sign over his bed reminding him of the 2016 Olympics. In writing the sign also says "How bad do you want it?"

“He must want it pretty bad,” said Susan. “He fights off suggestions to quit when he is sore, frustrated, or fighting a mental challenge. We will support the dream as long as it is matched by his effort. We are not sure where he is headed. But the magnetism we see when he walks onto a competition floor tells us he is going to do something special.”