Pommel Horse, he’s had a busy week.
On Monday, Stephen Nedoroscik—dubbed “Pommel Horse Guy” by the internet—became an Olympic bronze medallist and a meme. He now has an Olympic medal for himself.
After executing a more challenging routine than in the team final and scoring a 15.300, he earned bronze on the pommel horse. With a final score of 15.533, Rhys McClenaghan became the first gymnastics gold medallist from Ireland. Silver went to Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov.
Nedoroscik’s fiancée informed him that he had become an internet phenomenon following his historic podium performance for the U.S. men’s team on Monday.
She questioned him, “Have you looked at your phone yet?” He didn’t.
Nedoroscik still needed to get things done, but the amusing memes never stopped coming in.
“Regretfully, I had to switch everything off yesterday because I had to concentrate really hard for this meeting,” Nedoroscik stated. “I’m eager to turn everything back on and see the good vibes that America is sending my way.”
Nedoroscik said of his Olympic experience as “unforgettable.”
“It’s simply been a wonderful experience,” he stated. “I had an amazing group of gentlemen accompany me, and I will always treasure every moment of it.”
Since none of the other gymnasts made it to the apparatus finals, Nedoroscik will be the only individual medalist for the men’s United States during the Games.
After leading the American men’s gymnastics team to their first team Olympic medal since 2008, he emerged as a breakout star at the Paris Games at the age of 25.
He was only selected for the Olympic team because of how well his routine performed in the contest. He hasn’t trained on the other five apparatuses in a long time because he is so proficient with the horse.
Nedoroscik is a master on the pommel horse and took home the apparatus title at the 2021 world championships, despite lacking the visible muscle of some of the other male gymnasts who can do triple backflips and static holds on the still rings.
Like the women’s balance beam, it’s an event that often catches even the most determined competitors off guard, making it extremely useful.
Nedoroscik had to endure a torturous two-and-a-half hour of waiting on the sidelines in the team final before he could execute his one routine, but the scene could not have been more dramatic. Finally taking off his signature glasses as he locked in, Nedoroscik was spotted meditating on the sidelines to handle the growing pressure as his time drew near.
He claimed, “When I’m performing my gymnastics, I don’t even really see.” Everything is in your hands. Everything is sensible to me.
When it eventually came time, he performed under duress and was instantly thrown into the air by his teammates, making him a hero for Team USA and a household name for those at home.
He was quickly dubbed “the pommel horse guy” and compared to Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego, on the internet.