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Miami Gymnast Danell Leyva Taking Different Approach Before 2016 Olympics

One look at Olympic gymnast Danell Leyva and you'll notice the changes.

"He's way better than he was in 2012," said Leyva's coach and step-father, Yin Alvarez.

America fell in love with the 20-year-old from Miami at the London Olympics, where he won Bronze in the Men's All-Around. But since then, Leyva's grown up, physically and mentally.

Now 23, and training for another Olympic run in Rio de Janeiro, Leyva is noticeably leaner, yet stronger. His teeth are adorned with braces. But maybe the most important change in Leyva, is that he's happier.

"Right after the games I was like, 'Man you have to do this, I need to do this, to prove to myself, to prove to these people,'" Leyva said. "And now I have a completely different mentality. I want to do this. I can't wait to do this."

Leyva finished a disappointing sixth at the P&G Championships last week, but was still selected for the U.S. National Team competing at the World Championships in Scotland in October.

And if you know anything about Leyva, who defected from Cuba to Miami at age one, you wouldn't count him out.

He trains six days a week at Universal Gymnastics in West Kendall, a gym owned by his parents. His face and the Olympic rings are all over signs greeting you at the gym. And he serves as an inspiration to the next generation of Olympic hopefuls who come from all over the world to train with Alvarez.

"It's always funny to see that initial reaction, when they realize, 'Wait that was you?'" Leyva said. "I'm like, 'Yeah it's me. They're like that's so cool, I saw you on TV.'"

Leyva said the youngsters inspire him too. He's increased the difficulty of his all his routines. He's also eating healthier now. The days of consuming big bowls of Reese's Puffs for breakfast are gone from his diet, though the 20-year-old Leyva loved them.

"It's not that I can't eat it, I can still put it down no problem," Leyva explained. "I just know it's not helpful, not good for me, so I choose not to."

After a shoulder injury in 2013, Leyva was off the team for the World Championships, but he bounced back. Now, he's confident he'll be there in Rio representing Team USA in 2016. 

But while Leyva isn't getting ahead of himself, his bombastic coach will.

"I [don't] believe that he's only going to be in Rio," Alvarez said. "I believe he's going to win the gold medal in Rio. This is his year. This is his time."

When he's not training in West Kendall, Leyva's spending a lot of time these days working on his next athletic endeavor: soccer. Leyva said he hopes to play professionally when he's done with gymnastics. A long shot? Sure, but Leyva's heard that before.

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