John Orozco feels "personally responsible" after U.S. men's gymnastics team places fifth

John Orozco of the United States of America prepares to compete on the pommel horse in the Artistic Gymnastics Men's Team final on Day 3 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at North Greenwich Arena on July 30, 2012 in London, England. / Getty Images

(CBS/AP) The U.S. men's gymnastics team faltered as a team in Monday's finals, coming in fifth place. But John Orozco thinks he's to blame.

"I feel personally responsible. I did five events and I botched two," the 19-year-old said.

Orozco said he messed up on both the vault - "If you saw, I fell on my butt" - and the pommel horse, where "I did so poorly, it counted as if I fell twice."

Sam Mikulak says no one member of the American team was at fault for the performance.

"He's definitely being too hard on himself," Mikulak said, adding the team still showed it is young and improving and "will be a force in Rio."

The Americans, hoping for their first Olympic title since 1984 after finishing No. 1 in qualifying, lost all hopes for any medal with a dismal showing on pommel horse, their second event. They rallied to finish fifth.

It was the Chinese team that came in first place on Monday, winning their second straight Olympic title and third in four games. Britain was originally named the silver medalist on Monday, but a protest from Japan over one of its scores put them in second and bumped Britain down to bronze.

57 Photos

London Olympics: July 30, 2012

China's score of 275.997 points was more than four points better than Japan, which needed help from a DVR to finish second.

Britain initially was announced as the silver medalist, setting off raucous celebrations at the O2 Arena, Princes William and Harry included. The British don't have a proud history in gymnastics — barely any at all — and this was their first men's team medal in a century.

But Japan questioned the score of three-time world champion Kohei Uchimura on pommel horse, the very last routine.

While judges huddled around a video screen, the British partied and Uchimura and his teammates sat stone-faced against a wall.

"I couldn't say anything," Uchimura said. "I couldn't think anything at the very beginning. I was thinking, 'It's fourth, it's fourth."'

About five minutes later, though, it's silver.

Uchimura's score was revised, with judges giving him seven-tenths more credit for his dismount. Instead of 13.466, he scored 14.166 — enough to move Japan from fourth to second with a total of 271.952.

Britain was bumped down to bronze, while Ukraine dropped to fourth.

"To win a medal in your home games, I'll take that any day," Kristian Thomas said. "We never actually had the silver in our hands, so there's no real disappointment."

Tell that to the Japanese, who were bested by the Chinese yet again.

Just like everybody else.

"Even after it was changed, I was not too happy," Uchimura said.

China now has gone eight years without losing at a major competition.

[Filmguy870]

you're awesome....never stop believing!

[rjack61]

John, don't be so hard on yourself. I watched you guys and it was clear to me that your hearts were in it. You all are heroes to me and you all make me proud to be a citizen of the United States of America.

[ultraskygod]

They are all amazing athletes. Good luck to all of them

[skeezix06]

The real question is whether you're having fun competing and whether you enjoy what you're doing. If you are, then keep going for it.

[rwsmith29456]

John, your team mates contributed as well to the loss. That is like saying the last kid to strike out in baseball 'lost the game for everybody else'.

[ugacrew]

Very thoughtful comment of you rwsmith29456, and sound advice from a good and caring coach.