RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The words trail Danell Leyva even now, four eventful years since that warm night in London when — giddy from his bronze in the all-around at the 2012 Olympics — the rising American star made a very public pledge.
Shortly after the awards ceremony, Leyva leaned over and asked newly minted champion Kohei Uchimura of Japan if he planned to stick around for the 2016 Games. Pressed on why he wanted to know, Leyva flashed a smile and said simply "I want to beat him."
Leyva will get his chance when the men's competition kicks off on Saturday with qualifying at Rio Olympic Arena, just not in the way he imagined.