Leyva, who was born in Matanzas, Cuba but raised in Miami, grew up around the mats and gym equipment that would come to define his professional life. His mother Maria Gonzalez and stepfather Yin Alvarez were both members of Cuba’s national gymnastics team and they opened and operated the gym where Leyva would spend his childhood. At just four-years-old Leyva began training for his gymnastics journey. But asthma, ADD and long arms aren’t the stuff that Olympic athletes are typically made of.

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The American Cup, a part of the International Gymnastics Federation’s all-around World Cup series, kicks off the road to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and is expected to feature many of the top athletes from last summer’s Olympic Games in London.

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Kyla Ross, who helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team soar to gold in London last summer, headlines the 2013 American Cup in March in Worcester, Mass.

Two of the top three men’s all-around finishers in London will compete in the eight-man field. Silver medalist Marcel Nguyen of Germany and bronze medalist Danell Leyva of the U.S. will be the leading contenders in a meet featuring a handful of others with Olympic experience.

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Athletes like swimmer Ryan Lochte and gymnast Danell Leyva, both of Cuban descent, as well as Puerto Rican-American football player, Victor Cruz, and Venezuelan baseball player Pablo Sandoval, shone in their respective sports, becoming icons in the process.

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Chris Brooks, Danell Leyva and Jonathan Horton perform during their high bar number in the Progressive Skating & Gymnastics Spectacular presented by Hilton HHonors live show, part of the Pandora NBC Skating Series, at Jamestown Savings Bank Arena in Jamestown, NY, on December 15, 2012.

Disson Skating: Photos from the Progressive Skating & Gymnastics Spectacular presented by Hilton HHonors live show at Jamestown Savings Bank Arena in Jamestown, NY, on December 15, 2012, featuring skaters Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Jeremy Abbott, Ashley Wagner, Alissa Czisny, Maia and Alex Shibutani, Adam Rippon and Gracie Gold; and gymnasts Nastia Liukin, Gabrielle Douglas, Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, Danell Leyva, Jonathan Horton and Chris Brooks.
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The show was hosted by Peggy Fleming, Nadia Comaneci and Bart Conner, and featured live performances from R5 and the Fresh Beat Band.

NBC will broadcast the show nationally as part of the Pandora NBC Skating Series on January 19, 2013.

See the gallery here.

Joining Leyva in Las Vegas are Olympic teammates Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./University of Oklahoma, two-time Olympic medalist Jonathan Horton of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Academy), and Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan. Additionally, the three men who served as replacement athletes for the 2012 Olympic Games are also expected to participate: Chris Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress), Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness Center), and Brandon Wynn of Columbus, Ohio/Team Hilton HHonors (Ohio State University).

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Germany’s Elizabeth Seitz and Kim Bui were second and third, respectively, for the women’s competition. Germany’s Marcel Nguyen won the men’s competition at 90.098, with Japan’s Kazuhito Tanaka in second at 89.998 and Great Britain’s Daniel Purvis in third with 89.864. 2012 Olympic all-around bronze-medalist Danell Leyva of Miami/Team Hilton HHonors (Universal Gymnastics), was fourth with 88.232.

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Net proceeds from the gala, totaling more than $115,000, will benefit Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade and its many positive programs for 10,000 area children who need them the most.

Danell Leyva, who earned a bronze medal for men’s gymnastics at the London 2012 Summer Olympics, was honored with Boys and Girls Clubs’ Hometown Hero award during the event.

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