Danell Leyva Biography

Danell Johan Leyva, known professionally as Danell Leyva, is a celebrated figure in artistic gymnastics. He trains under the guidance of his coach and mentor, Yin Alvarez, at the Universal Gymnastics club.

Danell Leyva Height, Weight, Age, Biography, Affairs & More

Leyva’s career trajectory saw a significant shift during the 2008 Pan American Gymnastics Championships in Argentina. He made his international debut at the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in London. Born on October 30, 1991, Leyva continues to leave a mark in the gymnastics world with his talent and dedication.

Education

Danell Leyva hails from Miami, Florida, where he was homeschooled. He did not attend college.

Age

Danell Leyva was born on October 30, 1991, in Matanzas, Cuba. In 2016, he was 25 years old. His zodiac sign is Scorpio, and he holds American nationality.

Physical Stats

Danell Leyva stands at a height of 170 cm (1.70 m) or 5 feet 7 inches. He weighs approximately 61 kilograms (134.5 lbs) with body measurements around 45 inches (chest), 32 inches (waist), and 16 inches (biceps). Leyva’s eyes are brown, and he has black hair.

Wife

Danell Leyva is unmarried.

Family

Danell Leyva’s family includes his father, Yin Alvarez, who is a gymnastics coach, former gymnast, and co-owner of a gym, and his mother, Maria Gonzales, who is an ex-gymnast and co-owner of a gym. He also has a sister named Dayanis Mesa, who is a television host. Additionally, his biological father, Johann Leyva, resides in Spain.

Danell Leyva Picture

Junior Career

Leyva embarked on his Winter Cup journey in 2006, marking the beginning of his competitive career. Progressing to the junior division of the US National Championships, he clinched the all-around title, securing gold medals in floor exercise and horizontal bar, and sharing silver in parallel bars.

In 2008, at the Junior National Championships, Leyva showcased his prowess by winning multiple titles, including the all-around, high bar, parallel bars, and pommel horse.

Senior Career

Leyva’s successes extended from the Winter Cup to the American Cup, where he secured victories. At the National Championships, he finished second all-around but defended his titles in parallel bars and horizontal bar. Excelling in the Olympic Trials, Leyva topped the rankings and became the youngest member of the US senior national team at age 17.

He continued his triumphs at the National Championships, claiming gold in horizontal bar and silver in parallel bars. Leyva’s stellar performance earned him a spot on the US team for the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in London, where he garnered silver medals in both horizontal bar events. Despite being initially named as an alternate, Leyva emerged as a key contributor to the US men’s gymnastics team’s success, securing two medals and adding to the team’s overall tally.

Sponsorships

In 2013, Leyva inked a lucrative multi-year sponsorship deal with Adidas Gymnastics. His fellow US Olympic Team members, including Jake Dalton, McKayla Maroney, and Jordyn Wieber, also secured sponsorships from Adidas.

Net Worth

Danell Leyva’s net worth is not publicly known.

Some Lesser Known Facts About Danell Leyva

• Does Danell Leyva smoke?: Not Known
• Does Danell Leyva drink alcohol?: Not Known
• Danell has a signature move called jam-dislocate-hop to undergrips, which he performs on the horizontal bars.
• His father swam across the Rio Grande to reach Miami while his teammates were competing in Mexico.
• He came to the US with his sister and mother through Peru and Venezuela, for which he made arrangements to ensure their safe arrival.
• He has been on the 2016 Rio Olympics US team and placed fifth in the event, but he fell on the high bars during his performance.
• Although Danell’s first language is Spanish, he can converse in Italian, Romanian, and Japanese. Currently, he is learning Portuguese.
• He believes in maintaining a positive outlook on life and adopts an optimistic approach, with his motto being “I am going to” instead of “I want to.”
• Danell has not met his biological father, although they do talk regularly on the phone.
• Danell started doing gymnastics when he was only 4 years old.
• He has flat feet and dislikes them. They are so flat that sometimes he can see the bone sticking out.
• Danell has a strong fascination with spiders; he even owns a tarantula named Rosie.
• He is coached by his father.
• Leyva is apparently quite popular within the gay community, with a nickname for him being “The Hot Cuban Gymnast”.
• Danell has won bronze medals at the 2012 Olympics and all three medals at the World Championships, including 1 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze.
• The first time he tried gymnastics as a child, the coach said, “Please don’t bring him back,” as he struggled to focus and pay attention.
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