John Orozco
Encyclopedia
John Orozco is an American gymnast
. He currently trains at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.
In 2007 he won the Junior Visa U.S. National Championships, and became the youngest male gymnast to qualify for the elite finals. He got a place on the Junior National Team, representing the USA in the Pan-American Games as an alternate.
He went on to compete at the Pacific Rim Championships in 2008 and 2010 helping the team to Gold medals both times. At the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships in Melbourne he also won Gold medals in the All-Around and Horizontal Bar and Silver medals on Pommel Horse, Still Rings and Parallel Bars.
After graduating from high school, John decided to defer any college plans in order to concentrate on training for the 2012 Summer Olympics
, leaving New York to train at the U.S.O.T.C. in Colorado Springs.
John made the Senior National team in 2011 where he performed well at the U.S. National Visa Championships in St Paul, Minnesota. He ranked 2nd on Parallel Bars, 3rd in All-Around, Pommel Horse and High Bar and 4th on Still Rings.
He was chosen to be part of the U.S.A. team travelling to the 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
in Tokyo, Japan where his consistent performances helped the team to a Bronze medal. He went on to compete in the All-Around final where he finished 5th, and the High Bar final where he made a costly error, finishing in 8th place.
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
. He currently trains at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.
Early years
John's father William, worked for the NYC Department of Sanitation for 24 years until he was forced to retire after suffering a stroke . His mother Damaris had to drive him to and from practices which were a 30 mile drive from his home in the Bronx to his gym in Chappaqua while he was growing up . He is the youngest of five children. His brothers Erik and Manny, and sister, Jessica all teach recreational gymnastics. He began gymnastics at the age of seven years old, when his father found a flyer for free gymnastics lessons at a gym in Manhattan. The gym allowed him to be part of a programme for children who were socioeconomically disadvantaged. He trained at World Cup Gymnastics in Chappaqua while finishing his high school education at Felisa Rincon de Gautier Institute in Soundview.In 2007 he won the Junior Visa U.S. National Championships, and became the youngest male gymnast to qualify for the elite finals. He got a place on the Junior National Team, representing the USA in the Pan-American Games as an alternate.
He went on to compete at the Pacific Rim Championships in 2008 and 2010 helping the team to Gold medals both times. At the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships in Melbourne he also won Gold medals in the All-Around and Horizontal Bar and Silver medals on Pommel Horse, Still Rings and Parallel Bars.
Senior International career
In 2010, John Orozco competed in the US National Visa Championships as a Senior for the first time at the age of 17. Unfortunately he wasn't able to finish the competition due to sustaining a torn achilles in his right leg while competing on Vault during Prelims. . After surgery and rehab he was able to return to training.After graduating from high school, John decided to defer any college plans in order to concentrate on training for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, leaving New York to train at the U.S.O.T.C. in Colorado Springs.
John made the Senior National team in 2011 where he performed well at the U.S. National Visa Championships in St Paul, Minnesota. He ranked 2nd on Parallel Bars, 3rd in All-Around, Pommel Horse and High Bar and 4th on Still Rings.
He was chosen to be part of the U.S.A. team travelling to the 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held in Tokyo, Japan, from October 7–16, 2011 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.Due to uncertainty over the nuclear situation following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the International Federation of Gymnastics revealed it was...
in Tokyo, Japan where his consistent performances helped the team to a Bronze medal. He went on to compete in the All-Around final where he finished 5th, and the High Bar final where he made a costly error, finishing in 8th place.