"I wouldn't dream of giving up," Otabek answered. He'd compete and compete until he brought Kazakhstan back the gold. He'd work hard to do what he had to do. "I get better when I have better competition," he said. This year was his best year, after all. He could only imagine next year, really knowing who he was competing against.

"You figure out your center of gravity when you're my height." He sipped at his coffee. "It is different from when I was smaller."