Leyva takes crown

US Gymnastics championships

He outlasts Horton down the stretch

August 20, 2011|Associated Press

ST. PAUL - Danell Leyva has the spotlight all to himself now.

Leyva, known as much for stepfather and coach Yin Alvarez’s theatrics during competitions as for his own considerable skills, won his first title at the US gymnastics championships last night. He beat two-time defending champ Jonathan Horton in the process, too.

Alvarez was hopping up and down on the podium, clapping in rhythm, before Leyva even finished his high bar routine, his final event. When Leyva stuck his landing, Alvarez grabbed him in a bear hug and rubbed his head. Leyva responded by picking his stepfather up, prompting a big laugh from fans.

As Leyva walked off the podium, Alvarez yelled, “That’s my boy!’’

“Awesome. It’s an amazing feeling,’’ Leyva said. “One of my biggest goals has just been accomplished.’’

Leyva finished with 183.8 points, 2.75 in front of Horton. Three-time junior champion John Orozco, who blew out his Achilles’ tendon at last year’s national championships, was third.

While the team isn’t expected to be announced until today, Leyva and Horton are all but locks for the world championships, which are Oct. 7-16 in Tokyo.

Leyva began the night with a two-point lead, and extended it to a whopping 3.4 points after the first rotation, yet Horton all but erased the gap in the third rotation. But with Leyva making few mistakes and closing on his two best events, parallel bars and high bar, Horton had to be perfect on high bar and then floor.

And he wasn’t.

“Danell pretty much had a perfect week,’’ said Horton. “It’s hard to beat somebody that doesn’t make mistakes when you’re making mistakes.’’