John Orozco’s Routines 2013 Men’s National Qualifier

Orozco is still coming back from the torn left ACL and meniscus he suffered while performing a parallel bars dismount on the post-Olympic tour in October, and thus didn’t compete floor and vault in this competition.  However, he recently indicated in an interview that he intends to perform all six events at the upcoming U.S. Championships – even if it means watered down routines on floor and vault.

He’s no stranger to coming back from a major injury and still managing world-class all-around scores.  While still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered at the 2010 U.S. Championships, Orozco put together a bronze medal all-around performance at the 2011 U.S. Championships using a clean, cleverly designed floor routine and relatively easy vault.  It was there that Orozco earned his first world championship berth in Tokyo, Japan, where he helped lead his team to a bronze medal and established himself as one of the best all-around gymnasts in the world.  In 2012 he did upgrade his floor routine and vault and continued to refine his other four events, enabling him to overtake Danell Leyva for the 2012 national all-around title.  Thus, Orozco enters this summer’s national championships as the defending champion – setting up perhaps another thrilling battle with Olympic teammate Danell Leyva, who lost by just 0.05 to Orozco last year.

Although Orozco may not be in absolute top form yet, his four routines at the qualifier were impressive – and in fact all four included new skills over his 2012 repertoire.  His flair spindle on pommel horse, bounce iron cross (Nakayama) on rings, piked Morisue on parallel bars, and laid out Tcatchev with a half turn on high bar are all new additions this year – and indicative of his plans to remain a major force for the United States this Olympic cycle.

Will Orozco again beat the odds and compete the all-around in Hartford in 3 weeks – just 10 months after tearing his ACL and meniscus?  If anyone can do it, it’s John Orozco, and with a little more refining on these four big routines he already has, I think there’s no question he could be right in the running.  With Olympic teammates Danell Leyva, Jake Dalton, and Sam Mikulak all fully capable of taking this crown as well, we’ll be in for a fantastic battle for the 2013 men’s national all-around title.