Stephen Nedoroscik, “Pommel Horse Guy,” Goes Viral After Team USA Wins Bronze

Gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik is now an Olympic medalist, but to the internet, he’ll always be fondly known as “Pommel Horse Guy.”

Nedoroscik, who earned his spot on the Olympic team based solely on his exceptional pommel horse routine, became an internet sensation this week. He spent nearly three hours on the sidelines during the first five rotations before finally performing his specialty.

Online viewers couldn’t get enough of Nedoroscik, sharing images of him on the sidelines and after his stellar performance. Some dubbed him “Pommel Horse Guy,” while others joked that his job is “pommel horse,” referencing the “Barbie” movie where Ken’s job is “beach.” A few even called him Team USA’s “babygirl,” a term fans use to affectionately describe their favorite people.

Many also compared him to “Clark Kent,” Superman’s alter ego, because of his glasses. NBC’s Olympic & Paralympic coverage on X even called him “the Clark Kent of pommel horse!”

Nedoroscik, a Penn State graduate with a degree in electrical engineering, told the “TODAY” show that he enjoys the Clark Kent comparison.

“I will definitely take that,” Nedoroscik said with a laugh. “It is kind of like that. I’m a goofy guy with glasses on, but as soon as I take them off, I’m locked in and ready to go.”

In an August 2022 TikTok video, Nedoroscik revealed that he’s cross-eyed and can switch his dominant eye. He also explained that he takes off his glasses before his routine because they would fly off otherwise.

“I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics,” he said. “It’s all in the hands. I can feel everything.”

Author and social media personality Hank Green was among those captivated by Nedoroscik. He celebrated the gymnast’s pommel horse performance as a triumph for nerds.

“People who aren’t nerds don’t understand how long we’ve been waiting for an electrical engineer from Pennsylvania to POMMEL THE HELL OUT OF A HORSE,” Green posted on X.