TikTok is going bananas for a bespectacled athlete from the United States men’s gymnastics team who managed to clinch the first medal for the team in 16 years. Stephen Nedorosik — who is known as a pommel horse specialist — received the highest performance of the day for his efforts, knocking Great Britain and Ukraine from third place on the podium.
It was a brilliant performance which captivated audiences around the world. Not just due to Nedorosik’s immense skill at the pommel horse, but for his slightly nerdy demeanour as he approached the horse, took off his glasses and went on to slay like a modern-day gymnastics Clark Kent.
But who is Stephen Nedorosik and why is he TikTok’s darling? Let’s find out.
Who is Stephen Nedorosik?
Stephen Nedorosik is a 25-year-old gymnast from Worcester, Massachusetts. He wears glasses due to a condition called strabismus, a common eye disorder often referred to as crossed eyes.
Nedorosik is a pommel horse specialist meaning that this time around, he was only on the team to smash out the pommel horse event. So, as the rest of his teammates Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda and Asher Hong competed, Nedorosik was often filmed by US coverage taking naps while he waited for the very last event.
Back in 2021, Nedorosik won gold at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship whilst wearing prescription goggles. But this time around in Paris, he ditched the glasses moments before he approached the horse. After performing his 45-second routine brilliantly, he jumped off the horse and pumped his fist in the air, securing a score of 14.866 for the team and locking in the bronze medal.
It was a moment that resonated with the millions of people watching around the world, with Nedoroscik telling reporters that he was proud to represent people who wear glasses — and that he didn’t necessarily need them to compete, despite wearing them in the past.
“[My vision is] not necessarily clear,” he told the US Today Show.
“But the thing about pommel horse is if I keep [the glasses] on, they’re going to fly somewhere.”.
In the end, he said, it’s “all about feeling the equipment”.
“I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics. It’s all in the hands. I can feel everything.”
Naturally, the internet quickly developed an affinity towards Nedoroscik and he was dubbed Mr. Pommel Horse. If that wasn’t cute enough, his girlfriend Tess McCracken changed her X (formerly Twitter) profile to Ms. Pommel Horse. Bless up!
Thanks to a social media video posted by Team USA, fans discovered that Nedoroscik was a Rubix cube expert.
After his incredible performance went viral, fans began referring to the 25-year-old pommel horse enthusiast as the “Clark Kent” or “Tom Holland” of gymnastics and he became the focus of dozens of memes.
As it turns out, Nedoroscik is incredibly flattered by the memes and says there’s actually some truth to the whole Clark Kent comparison.
“I mean that’s an awesome comparison I’ll definitely take that,” Nedoroscik told the US Today Show.
“In a way, it is kind of like that. I’m a goofy guy with the glasses on but as soon as I take them off, I’m locked in, I’m ready to go.”
What a sweet pea!
Anyway, I love that he’s become the internet’s latest, sweetest golden boy. Pop off pommel king — and stick the landing!!!
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