LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 01: John Orozco of the United States looks on after competing on the pommel horse in the Artistic Gymnastics Men's Individual All-Around final on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at North Greenwich Arena on August 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (2012 Getty Images)
Puerto Rican athlete John Orozco once again disintegrated on the pommel horse on Wednesday during the gymnastics all-around individual competition during the Olympic games in London.
The Bronx native struggled with the pommel horse the same way he did on Monday. He managed to finish in eighth place as China took gold, Japan silver and Great Britain bronze.
“I felt really tired during the routine,” Orozco said according to the New York Daily News.
“I couldn’t feel my arms, everything was tightening up,” he continued, adding that he “was praying to get off, and get some kind of dismount.”
The19-year-old shed tears after his catastrophic mistake (again) and after some consolation from his coaches, actually finished off with a decent routine.
“I knew at the end I couldn’t make the podium even if I was perfect on all the other routines,” Orozco said. Still, he managed to climb up the scoreboard 16 spots higher to eighth place.
Unlike Orozco, his fellow Latino teammate, Cuban-born, Miami resident Danell Leyva earned bronze. Germany took home silver and Japan’s Kohei Uchimura delivered a solid, gold-medal worthy routine.
But Kevin Mazeika, Orozco’s coach, believes the Bronx gymnast will be back stronger and more focused for the next Olympic Games taking place in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
“This young man has tremendous potential in the future,” Mazeika said. “His upside is limitless.”
Orozco says he is ready to get back in the gym to prep for the next games.
“I want to train like crazy, even though it won’t make any difference now,” he said.
“I wish I could have done better,” he added. “I wish I could go back home and have them proud of me.”
But not all things have fallen apart for Orozco.
His family says they are still proud of his accomplishments and multiple sponsors have taken an interest in him. He will begin a gymnastics tour in the fall.
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