Osmar Téllez, initatitor coach of the gymnast is a soft-spoken man who keeps a history of more than 40 years dedicated to the development of gymnastics in Santiago de Cuba, a discipline that demands such dedication of its practitioners and trainers.
However, his greatest pride as former of athletes' generations is being Manrique Larduet first coach, who last November signed his name in the Scottish city of Glasgow, when star the best performance of a Cuban gymnast at a World Championships discipline.
His two medals at a single World Cup may well qualify as a feat, as its predecessors, Erick Lopez and Charles Leon, only managed to get a medal in the 2001.
On their way through the Hero City, Osmar Tellez did not hesitate to establish dialogue with Sierra Maestra, where he scanned the most telling stories of the time when he served as coach of the Best 2015 Male Cuban Athlete.

Tell me about your first contacts with the artistic gymnastics.
When I was about nine years old there was a gymnastics performance on the court at the Universidad de Oriente, and that really impressed me. Then I started to practice at the Yacht Club of Santiago de Cuba, with who was my first coach "Alfonsito", and in my first competition of the School Games, I got first place. From these results, I was promoted to EIDE Captain Orestes Acosta, where I stayed two years until I went to the National ESPA.
Then I spent the Instructor Course in Havana and in the 70s, when I finished teaching practice, I started working in the Special Area Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba.
How do you remember the small Manrique Larduet?
-For 2003, I lived with an aunt in Santa Rosa neighborhood, next door is the home of the Monique's grandmother. After a year there, I find that boy who was playing on the railing of the portal, making back support, links to the hands and other movements, and that caught my attention. But then again, I thought, "the child's short, chubby, fleshy tissue, may not approve the somatotype".
However, at the last minute I decided, and just two months for the competition talked with the grandmother and said to her, "Let me train your grandson, I'm going to make him a gymnastics national champion". That afternoon, she took him to the "Antonio Maceo", and I was amazed, because it showed he had talent. As he began when the school year was advanced, I had to present it in the national competition directly.
I remember that his parents were in the stands of the Santiago multipurpose hall, saw his son compete for the first time and achieve more than one prize in that competition.
How was him in training?
Always very dedicated and disciplined, this is important if you want to go far in any sport. I had a strategy with Manrique that few people know, he was very short of flexibility and I take him from the "Antonio Maceo" to the "multipurpose hall", trained him at night, because he was always restless.
-What happened after?
-at Next course I had to go to Venezuela for work. When I returned, Manrique was in the National School with other coaches, and was champion in the 11-12 years category. However, we always kept our relationship, which fills me with satisfaction.
What are the feels when see Manrique Larduet to become the best Cuban gymnast of our days?
'I am very proud, from the performances he had last year at the World Cup in Portugal and the World of Glasgow, as well as the Pan American Games, also because it was the fruit of my work, and I get very cheerful whenever he mentions me in the different interviews have been made him.
Do you think it has the potential to be the first Cuban gymnast to win a medal in an Olympic event?
With him everything is possible. I see him eager to excel, he is a very intelligent athlete and his talent for gymnastics is undeniable. I think it has great potential with a view to Rio de Janeiro 2016.