ATHENS -- Kyle Shewfelt's quest for gold started innocently enough 16 years ago with a regular routine of cartwheels in the living room and flips on the couch.

"When I first took gymnastics I learned a back handspring and I was hooked," recalled Canada's first Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast.

"I was doing back handsprings across the lawn and I couldn't get enough time in the gym."

It wasn't until the six-year-old Calgarian's enthusiasm and skill drew the attention of a coach at the Altadore Gymnastics Club that Shewfelt began a journey that landed him on top of the world yesterday.

"A recreational coach came up to me and said 'I think there's a kid you might want to add to the competitive program,' " said Shewfelt's coach, Kelly Manjak.

"He flew across the floor, did a handspring and landed it perfectly. I asked where he learned that and his reply was, 'his backyard.' "

From that point on, the Altadore club became his yard of sorts, and Manjak evolved from coach to friend and then mentor.

When Kyle fell, Manjak was there to pick him up. When Shewfelt made progress, Manjak demanded even more.

So when Shewfelt nailed the routine of his life at Olympic Indoor Hall yesterday, it was fitting the first person he embraced was the man who essentially taught it to him.

"He's like a father to me," said the 22-year-old of Manjak, who figured Shewfelt's medal chances were better in the vault, which goes tonight.

"I spend so much time with him. I love him just as much as my family. Kelly is my rock and I'm just so happy he's here with me."

He won't be for much longer.

This fall Manjak is moving his family to Toronto to coach young female gymnasts. The daily bond that shaped Shewfelt into the Olympic champion and man he is today will be broken.

"It's a sentimental moment and an ending point because his life is changing and he's moving on," said Shewfelt.

"We knew that after the 2004 Olympics things might change, and they are, but that's fine because there's no better way to end it than this."

Like a good coach should, Manjak reinforced Shewfelt's sentiments.

"Kyle is like a son to me," said Manjak, who had little trouble getting his student through the twilight zone (ages 13-17) when most gymnasts pack it in.

"I care about him more than I care about his performance or his gymnastics.

"He's family. I'll take care of him forever. I love him."

Spending more than a decade being singularly focused on achieving a moment like yesterday's, Manjak couldn't contain his pride when asked to sum up the enormity of what Shewfelt had accomplished.

"Kyle just put his niche into history for us," he said.

"I'm honoured to be a part of the first medal Canada's ever won in gymnastics. It's something so deep. You know when you have to pee really badly? It's sort of that deep feeling."

Perhaps it was those sort of analogies that helped Shewfelt focus better.

Who knows. The bottom line is that he helped Shewfelt use a small Calgary gym to win more international medals than any other Canadian.

"He's so passionate about this sport," said Manjak.

"His whole goal was to win Olympic gold in gymnastics for Canada and he started that dream at about nine years of age and he just delivered it today. That shows his character."

And that of his coach.

A bond now held together by gold.