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Many people have a special talent that sets them apart. For some, it’s playing guitar; for others, it’s cooking incredible meals. For Stephen Nedoroscik, that talent is the pommel horse. He excels in navigating this gymnastics apparatus so skillfully that he was selected for the 5-member U.S. men’s team at this year’s Olympics in Paris. His outstanding performance during the team final on July 29 contributed to the team securing their first Olympic medal since 2008, and earned him the nickname “The Pommel Horse Guy” on social media.
If you’re wondering what the pommel horse entails, it's an event where gymnasts mount, dismount, and swing their legs around and above an apparatus called the pommel horse. The apparatus—first used by male gymnasts in the early 19th century—is 160 cm (5.2 feet) long and 135 cm (4.4 feet) wide and features two handles on top. Nedoroscik specializes in this event and is a four-time U.S. champion, two-time NCAA champion, and the 2021 world champion.
Despite there being six events in men's Olympic gymnastics, Nedoroscik focused solely on the pommel horse. He was scheduled to compete in the final rotation and was the last in the lineup, meaning he had to wait two and a half hours before it was his turn to perform. While waiting, Nedoroscik was captured seemingly dozing off, which sparked a flurry of positive attention online with people joking and even making memes about the moment. However, this relaxation is actually a key part of the gymnast’s preparation routine.
“I did my breathing exercises, and I could hear all the guys cheering for [teammates] Brody [Malone] and Paul [Juda], and I thought, ‘Sounds like everything is going well,’” he said. “I knew at that moment that every guy hit every single routine. And I have this thing, if everybody hits [their routines] before me, then I never miss. So I thought, ‘Let’s go out there and do our thing.’”
When his time came, Nedoroscik indeed did his “thing.” He impressively spun his legs around the pommel horse multiple times, supporting his body weight with his arms. He scored a 14.866 on his routine, ultimately securing a bronze medal for his team. They finished just 1.801 points behind Japan, who won the gold medal, and China, who placed second to take the silver.
“I have [coach] Sam Mikulak as just like, the greatest coach of all time,” Nedoroscik said. “He’s up there, helping me keep the nerves in check. He knows exactly what to say to me. So when we got that chalk bucket, he kind of just settled me down and said, ‘You’re ready for this.’ I went up there, did my routine and during that dismount, I was just like, already smiling.”
Nedoroscik, who is also an electrical-engineering graduate from Pennsylvania State University, is now a viral Internet sensation. However, it wasn’t only his pommel horse performance that won the people’s hearts. Many people have likened him to Clark Kent due to his “nerdy” appearance. And others admired the previously little-known athlete’s focus and patience as he waited to perform.
Nedoroscik said it’d been a “really long day” leading up to his moment, but he was excited by the fact that the pommel horse was the final event. He said, “I framed that in my head as a positive, like I can be the exclamation point.”
Watch as Team USA gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik delivers an impressive pommel horse routine at the Olympics, with his teammates cheering him on.
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He helped the U.S. men's team secure a bronze medal—their first Olympic medal since 2008.
I am a World Champion.
I still can’t comprehend the impact this achievement will have. I am so thankful for the trust everybody at USAG and USOPTC had in me. It’s truly unbelievable. Thank you to everybody who has supported me and continues to do so pic.twitter.com/d2Lu6tD0qU
— Stephen Nedoroscik (@GymnastSteve) October 25, 2021
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Now known “The Pommel Horse Guy” on social media, his fans loved how calm he was while waiting for his turn to shine.
Pommel Horse Guy is about to do the biggest Pommel Horse of his life and appears to be taking a peaceful nap. New #1 favorite Olympic athlete. pic.twitter.com/yqGgqjTc2O
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) July 29, 2024
if i send this to you it means it may not look like it but i’m totally locked in pic.twitter.com/VBWA1Gaqiz
— nikita richardson (@nikitarbk) July 29, 2024
He had to wait two and a half hours before it was his turn to perform.
Stephen Nedoroscik’s Timer is killing me pic.twitter.com/C9TsIlQJ2N
— Hannah (@babybergy37) July 29, 2024
Nedoroscik won the hearts of many online with his cool yet endearingly nerdy demeanor.
obsessed with this one guy on the US men's gymnastics team who looks like he's getting his phd in anthropology and his only job is pommel horse
— marie ✨ (@hanyuchopin) July 29, 2024
People who aren't nerds don't understand how long we've been waiting for an electrical engineer from Pennsylvania POMMEL THE HELL OUT OF A HORSE. https://t.co/QLSlSDtMbk
— John Green (@sportswithjohn) July 29, 2024
I don’t know the process but homeboy with the glasses on the gymnastics team gotta be the new Spider-Man.
— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) July 29, 2024
I’m obsessed with how Stephen Nedoroscik squints at the apparatus every time he takes his glasses off pic.twitter.com/l6LBG4Z16r
— lía (@ideklia) July 29, 2024
He managed to get people excited about the pommel horse, which is pretty impressive given it’s not usually the most thrilling event.
Obsessed that Stephen Nedoroscik’s only job was the pommel horse and bro COOKED pic.twitter.com/H4Nne8q79W
— Brittany Sdao (@besdao) July 29, 2024
I know nothing about gymnastics and here I am living and dying with whether this nerdy guy in glasses named Steve can pommel that horse. The Olympics are a curse.
— Ryan Rosenblatt (@RyanRosenblatt) July 29, 2024
I have always supported this guy since I learned about him five minutes ago. https://t.co/WzCjtkBDOH
— Ben Siemon (@BenjaminJS) July 29, 2024
He is raising his glasses in triumph pic.twitter.com/JOMszAjGEg
— Dr. Glaucomflecken (@DGlaucomflecken) July 29, 2024
Stephen Nedoroscik: Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok | X
h/t: [People]
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