“Arrive. Pommel. Leave,” reads just one of the many memes created in the wake of Stephen Nedoroscik’s captivating pommel horse performance for Team USA gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Sporting a nerdy look that hid a well-toned physique underneath, he immediately drew “Clark Kent” comparisons after removing his glasses to completely ace the competition. The athlete secured the first-ever bronze medal for the US men’s gymnastics team in 16 years.
Highlights
- Stephen Nedoroscik's pommel horse performance earned Team USA its first men’s gymnastics medal in 16 years.
- He quickly gained the nickname 'Nerdy Pommel Horse Guy' and 'Clark Kent' for his unassuming appearance and strong show.
- He has struggled with vision issues since birth, making his achievements even more impressive.
Viewers were captivated by his nonchalant attitude prior to his turn competing, as he was seen to be completely relaxed, almost asleep on his chair, exuding an aura of complete control and self-confidence. He even took time to complete a Rubik’s Cube challenge, sharing it on social media.
“The women have Simone Biles, the guys, Stephen Nedoroscik. Everyone’s fallen in love with this guy. He’s the ‘Ken’ of the Olympics and his job is to Pommel Horse,” said one viewer on X, joining the hordes of instant fans the athlete has gained since his performance.
Team USA gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik gets dubbed "Nerdy Pommel Horse Guy" and "Clark Kent" after a stunning last-minute performance
Image credits: nascarcasm
Stephen has also gained many female admirers after his performance, with one perfectly summarizing the appeal of his victory.
“Obsessed with this guy on the US men's gymnastics team whose only job is pommel horse, so he just sits there until he's activated like a sleeper agent, whips off his glasses like Clark Kent and does a pommel horse routine that helps deliver the team its first medal in 16 years,” she wrote on X.
“I love this nerdy kid from Worcester who's at the Olympics just to do pommel horse and only pommel horse and he is literally Team USA's best chance at Olympic gold for just pommel horse. And today he's literally just hanging out until it's time for pommel horse. LOVE HIM,” confessed another.
Expecting the attention her increasingly famous boyfriend would receive from women all around the world, Stephen’s girlfriend Tess was quick to relabel her X account as “Ms. Pommel Horse.” She is currently being tagged by sports clothing brands looking to make deals with the gymnastics star.
Nedoroscik began his career in high school and has been winning awards consistently ever since, making him a key player in his team’s victory
Image credits: stephen_nedoroscik
25-year-old Stephen Nedoroscik started his career while in high school. While training, he noticed that he was performing particularly well on the pommel horse, so his coaches recommended he specialize in that event.
The decision proved to be smart, and awards came soon after. In 2015, he won his first Junior Olympic National title, acing it again the following year. In 2017, he became the NCAA National Champion, and in 2020, he won his first international gold medal at the Melbourne World Cup.
Image credits: stephen_nedoroscik
After a brief pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he returned in 2021 for the US National Championships, where he placed first on the pommel horse, securing his first elite-level national title and paving the way for his participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nedoroscik was set to compete last after his teammates Asher Hong, Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, and Paul Juda completed their segments on rings, high bar, parallel bars, and vault. This meant that he had to wait two and a half hours before competing, which explains why he looked so bored and relaxed before his turn came to secure the medal.
The overnight sensation may be a Superman on stage, but in his daily life, he’s an electrical engineering student who has struggled with vision problems since birth
Image credits: stephen_nedoroscik
Despite being referred to as the “Clark Kent” of the Olympics, Stephen is a fairly normal person in his day-to-day life, and his “nerdy” look is far from being a fashion statement.
Suffering from strabismus since birth, the athlete confessed in a TikTok video released in August 2022 that he’s only able to see through one eye at a time, having to switch between them to keep only one dominant.
“I am trying to get this video to reach any doctors on TikTok. I’m cross-eyed and can’t find any information,” he said in the clip, and he proceeded to show his viewers how he is able to adjust his eyesight to remain functional.
Image credits: stephen_nedoroscik
Nedoroscik also suffers from coloboma, a condition that results in a reduction of a person’s vision due to a loss of tissue in the eye.
He’s also a real “nerd” outside the Olympic stage, as he’s an electrical engineer from Pennsylvania State University, having graduated with the degree in 2020.
The combination of his unassuming appearance, relaxed demeanor, and exhilarating performance captivated viewers on social media, immediately turning him into a national icon
Fans made the hashtag #pommelhorseguy trend by posting a slew of comments praising the athlete and his team for achieving an Olympic medal after 16 years, with Nedoroscik seemingly becoming a national icon overnight.
“Absolutely sick that America brought Stephen Nedoroscik, some nerd from Massachusetts, to Paris whose sole purpose in life is to ball out on the pommel horse,” said one fan.
“And in the biggest moment of his life. He pommeled the f–k out of that horse. Long live pommel horse guy.”
“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,” said another, marveling at the athlete’s relaxed demeanor prior to his performance.
“To truly understand Stephen Nedoroscik's nerd credentials, you need to know that he is in Paris for the Olympics and posting to his insta story about solving a rubik's cube in under 10 seconds,” noted a viewer while sharing an image of Stephen solving the puzzle in 9.7 seconds.
With a performance full of high moments and a new star being born, the US Gymnastics Team is more prepared than ever to continue riding the high and secure even more medals on Tuesday 30, 2024, when Simone Biles and the rest of the women’s division take the stage.
"Clark Kent morphs into Superman," wrote one fan as others joined in to praise the athlete
