Gymnast Carly Patterson, of Allen, balances upcoming wedding and new clothing line

by J. David Barron of Star Local News

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Patterson is getting married November 3.

Kye R. Lee

Olympian Carly Patterson, left, met Mark Caldwell, right, at a friend's wedding two years ago. and Mark proposed last January.

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One of North Texas' -- and certainly Allen's -- favorite daughters is still on the balance beam. Only now Carly Patterson is handling the all-around of life.

Olympic gymnast Patterson, 24, made an in-store appearance Friday at Apricot Lane in Watters Creek. She was there to promote her new line of fashion T-shirts for G Wear, a recyclables fashion clothing company. Gracious and accommodating, Patterson showed her business savvy while autographing pictures, clothing, even a Wheaties box. Had she been of the mind, she wouldn't have been faulted for also tending to some last-minute wedding plans. She is getting married November 3 to Texas A&M graduate Mark Caldwell.

Patterson shared that she met her husband to-be at "a mutual friend's wedding" in August 2009. They were engaged January 24 of this year. Caldwell, 27, touts a degree in industrial distribution engineering and is employed with Accenture. He attended Plano Senior High School.

Patterson would only reveal the wedding venue as "Downtown Dallas. Outside," she said with a laugh. The guest list is "about 250. So it's no real small event, for sure." The couple plans a honeymoon in St. Thomas and surrounding islands.

Patterson captured the all-around gold medal in the Athens Games of the 2004 Olympiad. She also won the silver medal on the balance beam in helping the USA to the team silver. Currently, she is going to school at Collin Community College while promoting her new line of clothing, which she began in January. Patterson plans to transfer to Texas Woman's University in Denton for the spring semester, where she will continue her pursuit of a degree in communications.

She remains involved with her signature sport. "I'm still with USA Gymnastics. I work for the organization traveling and promoting competitions, and I coach summer camps.

"I kind of do just whatever they need me to do," she said.

"But I'm definitely starting a new life," Patterson continued. "In a way, I'm growing up and moving away. It's nice to still be involved but also have a completely different life.

"I'm just in a great place right now, and life is vey exciting. I'm just looking forward to what's ahead with my life."

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