TOKYO — Danell Leyva showed the U.S. men can rake in the gold too, winning the parallel bars title Sunday to give the Americans their first gold medal at the world gymnastics championships in eight years.
Leyva, the U.S. champion, landed his dismount without so much as a wiggle and the 19-year-old from Miami let out a roar that could be heard clear to the other end of the arena.
His always excitable stepfather and coach, Yin Alvarez, charged toward the podium like a bull in Pamplona, wrapping Leyva in a great bearhug.
Leyva’s score of 15.633 put him one-tenth ahead of Vasileios Tsolakidis of Greece. There were still four gymnasts left to go, however, including all-around champion Kohei Uchimura. But none could catch Leyva.
It is the first U.S. gold at worlds since Paul Hamm won the all-around and floor exercise titles in 2003. The Associated Press
