In a short time now, Danell Leyva's life has turned incredible. His gym, which used to be his training and practice, now receives constant visits of mayors, celebrities, journalists and strangers who, like us, want to approach the young athlete to take pictures and learn a little more closely at the Olympic promise in gymnastics for the United States. And last but not least, the editorial closing this article, the athlete managed to climb the podium of the London Olympians to take the bronze medal last August first overall male competition in artistic gymnastics.
At just 20 years, Danell has dazzled everyone with her talent, dedication, hard work and perseverance, not in vain was and remains one of the most promising Latino London. In his first ranking male, managed to place first among all gymnasts with a total score of 91,265. Thanks to him and his other fellow Latino team, John Orozco, was that the American gymnastics men's team managed to leave the bottom of the list and placed fifth in the classification. But when it came to overall individual competition was when Danell showed his true toughness, after having failed in the pommel horse with a very poor performance that probably cost him a place on the podium, the Cubans rose from the ashes like a phoenix with routines horizontal bar and parallel bars most spectacular of the day that earned him a bronze medal seemed practically unattainable, the second medal in the gymnastics competition manifold that has earned an American in more than 28 years. There ratified by what the parallel world champion and why was crowned as the greatest male gymnast the United States in the London Olympics, and what is missing, because Leyva compete next week at the end of horizontal bar.
However sudden things look, the feat of Danell Leyva did not happen overnight. From an early age showed interest in the discipline of gymnastics, "tell me that when she was two years old, I saw a video of exercise that had my mom and stepfather and was shocked, when finished, I turned with great emotion and happiness and I said, 'I do not know what that is but I want to!' "says the athlete's skin and body brunette slim and well defined.
Gymnastics has been everything to this family. His mother, Maria Gonzalez and her stepfather, Yin Alvarez, both former gymnasts, met in Cuba in the national team. For gymnastics, Yin left Cuba and swam across the Rio Grande clean your clothes in a plastic bag, in search of a better life and be an athlete's dream and open his own gym, the gym, Mary was able to leave Cuba to give a better life for Danell, concerned that his poor child with asthma would not survive in the precarious conditions of the island. And gymnastics, all dreams, history, efforts, hopes and sufferings of these three athletes have reached the glorious climax that represents the bronze medal Danell. It seems like they're telling the story of the adventures of Greek heroes, who came out of the depths of Tartarus to get to the glory of heaven on Mount Olympus. "It was the way my parents pay for all the sacrifices they made and they do for me," said Darnell. "We are a team and any medal count," said Yin Alvarez bronze of his son.
As with all great stories, there are plenty of ironies. His mother was against the wishes of Danell being a gymnast, "I was a chubby child, had a learning disability, long arms, had asthma ... well, did not meet a single condition to be an athlete," says Danell . However, always had the support of their parents, even when the coach gave him back to his mother because he "did not know what to do with the boy," his stepfather Yin, who just turned her dream of opening his own gym, took him as his pupil and taught him all about discipline.
Who knew that the fat asthmatic longer arms than normal would grow to become national champion of U.S. gymnastics, parallel bars world champion and now the third best artistic gymnast in the world with intentions of becoming the first: " I want to win, "he said after winning the bronze Danell, Kohei Uchimura referring to the Japanese gymnast won gold three times, now crowned with another gold as the best gymnast of the Olympic Games in London, and considered one of the best gymnasts all time. "If I could speak Japanese, I would tell Uchimura is the greatest gymnast ever lived ... for now," Darnell said with a smile and Uchimura challenging to meet again in the upcoming games in Rio.
But before the end of this story was given and Danell became a full Olympic bronze god, I was able to sit down with the deadly, plain and simple boy of flesh and blood, we talked in his gym just two days before he left for his adventure in London and we talked a little of everything, told me about their normal lives, the life of a boy of 20 who always dreamed of being an athlete. Here's what she said in her melodious Cuban accent, pretty steep for someone who came from Cuba rather small, but in the characteristic Spanglish spoken by young people growing up in this country.
How did it feel to have made this photo shoot with us, completely out of your element athlete to pose like a model?
Actually I felt really good, I like this. In fact, after the Olympics would go a little further into modeling, acting, music and truth in all that is art.
Do not tell me! Or is that in addition to athletics also like the artistic career?
Yes yes I practice gymnastics artistic gymnastics is called and I think everything has to do, however, because the time to do a gymnastics routine, you're doing for an audience, not so much to the judges. So I think that this discipline is much like other performing arts like acting, modeling or music.
Okay, what would you do specifically in the entertainment? What most strikes you?
I would like to act, but I also love music. Music for me is like gasoline, which gives me energy and joy, but yes, I love acting, working in television, for example.
You mean that you see as the next William Levy?
(Laughs) Well, I dunno ... he is very good. Hopefully it will be like him, why not?
How does it feel to be named after U.S. and represent all Latinos in Miami in London?
Well proud to know I was born in Cuba, but while I am representing this great country, then it is a privilege and an honor rather long because as I said, I was not born here and I have left this country and represent all Latinos Here we strive to get ahead. It's really great!
You are famous for your original movements emblematic bars and fitness equipment than any other athlete does. There is one in which you open your arms in the air like a Christ before returning to grab the fixed barring, you have another in the saddle ... tell me about that. Where did these ideas?
The truth is that they are always the same elements of what is between my coach and I look the more artistic exercises, a very easy exercise you can look great by the way make a turn, the position of the arms or the way to end the routine, and that's what I do differently.
Like then also look for that side of show and entertainment to the gym.
The reason I do is because ever since I was little, Yin and my mom asked me that because he wanted to be when I grew up, and I told them I did not want to be like anyone, I wanted to be like myself, and why I'm always looking for my own style, my own way of doing everything.
Well, obviously that creativity and talent for gymnastics you have rewarded you with the titles you have.
I guess so. Winning gold in parallel in the world in Tokyo was for me a dream come true and is due in large part to all the work I did with my coach and what you say, the difference that I put my gymnastics routines.
How far do you want to take your athletic career?
Well my dream is to win the Olympics, the general, individual and team.
What next?
And what comes after.
But do you think to continue the race track or perhaps focus on other things like acting?
I do not know, I think now I do not know how to separate the gym from the rest. I think after the Olympics I will learn how to separate and concentrate on both.
Of all forms of gymnastics, which one do you consider yourself stronger? I imagine that in the parallel bars, right?
Yes, because as a win in the parallel world, I guess I'm better at it (laughs), and Yin agrees. However, I consider myself better on the beam than in parallel.
What is the hardest for you?
For me, the rings so that my arms are too long and force me harder, many people say that the bar has been the difficulty, or the saddle, I also think that the saddle is very difficult because all appliances go with the law of gravity, but this is the only thing you have to stay up the whole time, hence I think it is also one of the most difficult.
You have 20 years and I imagine that, like any young man your age, you like to go out and be out there but I guess being an athlete is very difficult for you. How do you coordinate the normal life of a young person with this subject so demanding?
Well, I've always been very focused on my work, that is, I love going out and I love sharing with friends, with girls and stuff, yet I always put my sport as a priority, provided that and then the rest , and when I finish the competition, it is as if there were gymnastics to the next.
So by now you have no girlfriend.
No, I haven't (laughs).
What about receiving resumes?
(Laughs) For now, just friends, but, you receive resumes.
I guess I need not ask how you keep your figure, because it got here in the gym every day should be enough, but then how do you keep feeding habits? Do you like rice and beans and old clothes as all good Cuban or eat salads and healthy food?
No, forget it! I eat everything. Sometimes I'm eating and my mom tells me "Hey, but you keep eating!" At best, but yes, I try to cook all my food myself and try to do as healthy as possible.
Do they remain much the Cuban traditions in your home?
Yes, do not miss the rice, beans, steak, chicken, whatever.
What do you do when you have some free time?
I like to paint and make things with my hands, also play a little piano and make music on my phone do all the bits, write the lyrics of some songs, and so on. I like rap and reggaeton.
Apparently, art in all its representations, offers vibrating every fiber and muscle of the newly crowned Olympic god. Attention and emotion that is now generating perhaps the training for his future as a star, either as actor, musician, producer or top model. The truth is that entertain the public is one of his greatest satisfactions, "I love when he landed on the mat and the audience rose in applause and shouts, it is the best feeling in the world," says Darnell.
Who takes? Maybe we will see very soon starring in a novel, series or movie, and we will be calling for another cover, but this time not as an athlete, but as an actor. Just do not forget, Danell, who went home LifeStyle exclusive Miami than in any other way of Miami. Just kidding! We do not joke is that you have left the name of all Latinos in the U.S. very high and, despite not you take the gold, for us are what is painted on one wall of your gym : a true "champion."
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