East Quogue Fourth Grader Has Olympic Aspirations

For the past week, Max Pazera, 9, of East Quote has been glued to the television, watching the men's gymnastic team and his favorite team member, John Orozco compete in the Olympics.  In 2020, when he is 18 years old, he plans to be doing exactly what they are doing — going for the gold.

"I want to be in the biggest competition in the world, helping the American team," said Pazera. "I would be so proud of myself."

Pazera, a fourth grader at , started working toward that goal at the age of five, when his mother, Susan, enrolled him at  in Westhampton.

"When he was a little baby, he didn't stop climbing and tumbling," said Susan.  "And I thought I had to get this kid in an environment where it is safe to do these kinds of things."

From the start, Susan, who took gymnastics as a child, said her son was a natural.

"Sometimes I have to close my eyes watching him do backflips," she said. 

Just four years in and Pazera has risen from level I to level V and last year he began competing, winning a silver medal in his favorite event - horse - and bronze medals in P-bars, high-bars and floor.

Pazera says he practices during the school year three days a week for three hours each day and during the summer, two days a week for four hours each day. 

And when he's not at the gym, Pazera says he is out running with his dad and competing in 5k runs — He came in 17 Th. at the East Quogue Wildcat run recently.

"I want to do anything possible to accomplish my goal," said Pazera. "I am going to train hard and go to the Olympics in 2020."

And Susan said she will be there every step of the way, fostering her son's dream.