Miami's Danell Leyva tweeted Monday's performance, where U.S. men's gymnastics team failed to medal on Monday, will be a motivation.
Meanwhile, in Miami, his friends and relatives were cheering him on, no matter what.
"It wasn't the best meet for the U.S.," said fellow gymnast Edward Mesa, 21, who was watching the event through a live stream. Leyva and Mesa have trained together for the past 10 years.
"They had a little trouble a couple falls here and there," Mesa said. "At the end they really rallied together as a team ... It happens."
"I think we are all still really proud of Danell and what he's accomplished. its a great honor to be on this stage, " said Mesa.
During the event, Danell Leyva led the team with a strong floor routine, but later fell off the pommel horse, and America's darling John Orozco, who performed a clean rings routine, uncharacteristically lost consistency on vault. His approach and execution were strong, but he blew the landing, winding up on his backside instead of his feet.
[View the story "Leyva's tweet after the Monday event." on Storify]"This has been his dream since a young child," his cousin Dianelys Garcia said in Spanish.
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Garcia said the family is "very proud and excited and not only are proud for the family but for the Latin community. He was born in Cuba and he came here as a young child and now he is representing the USA team."
The team had been looking to snag its first team gold since 1984 when it hits the mat during the event. Watch the events live here.
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Leyva will compete in four of the six events and served as the last man up for the U.S. on the high bar, the team's final event.
Back at Universal Gymnastics in Miami, which is owned by Leyva's coach and step-father, Yin Alvarez, friends and family gathered to watch the event.
"He's an extremely determined person," Mesa said. "We kind of pushed each other as we have gotten older."
Mesa said that watching Leyva is "really motivational," and that he is very proud of him.
"Seeing someone who trains with you all day, make it to the top is really inspirational," Mesa said.
Mesa's goal is to make it to the 2016 Olympics. His prediction for the U.S. Team?
"They proved the other day they are a force to be reckoned with," he said.
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