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THIS WEEK’S INTERVIEW
Danell Leyva is back on the show (listen to his first appearance here)! The eight-time World and Olympic medalist was the only American man to earn a medal for the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic Games with a bronze in the all-around. In 2016 he won the most medals of any American man in Rio. He did that after not even being named to the team! When John Orozco was hurt, he moved from Rio alternate to team member. He was the 2011 world champion on the parallel bars, defending silver medalist going in to 2015 Glasgow World, but failed to reach the podium. He came back a year later at the 2016 Olympics in Rio to win parallel bars and horizontal bar silver. We discuss:
- Why dog bites are obviously good luck for him.
- Who should have won the Rio Olympic all-around and p-bars finals.
- Rio got bad press, but London had some of the same problems.
- What he thinks of the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse allegations.
- Being called the “temperamental Cuban American” in the pre-event finals arena video at Worlds in 2015.
- Girlfriend Power: How he changed his mindset from Glasgow to Rio and got the joy back.
- Being named alternate to coming home with the most medals of any U.S. male in Rio.
- Race and his ethnic heritage.
- His p-bars striptease at the Rio Olympic Gala.
- Was doing the post-Olympic tour worth it this time around?
- What was it like in the arena when Samir Ait Said (FRA) fractured his leg on vault in Rio.
- What he would do to help the men’s team–individualize!
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RELATED EPISODES
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- Episode 56: Preventing Abuse in Gymnastics
- Episode 21: Kyle Shewfelt
- Episode 24: Sho Nakamori & Match-Play Meet Debrief with Justin Spring
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- 201: Men’s Olympic Trials and P&G Champs Preview
- 202: The 2016 Men’s Olympic Trials, Women’s P&G Championships
- 218: Rio Olympic Event Finals Day 2
- 217: Rio Olympic Event Finals Day One
- 216: Rio Women’s All-Around Final
- 215: Rio Men’s Olympic All-Around Final
- 214: Rio Women’s Olympic Team Final
- 213: Rio Men’s Olympic Team Finals
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Shawn Johnson’s post-Olympic tour complaint video.
MORE WAYS TO LISTEN
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\”The eight-time World and Olympic medalist was the only American man to earn a medal for the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic Games with a bronze in the all-around. He did that after not even being named to the team!\”
Someone got a little excited about Danell when typing/editing this, haha. It\’s factually inaccurate.
Accidentally deleted a sentence! haha We fixed it. 😉
Another wonderful Gymcastic interview!
I was fortunate enough to meet Danell at the UCLA Women’s Gymnastics Banquet this year while he was talking with Jess! So totally cool!
Can’t wait to see him in TV and movies!