Video shows Stephen Nedoroscik crush the pommel horse, clinch bronze for USA gymnastics
Editor’s note: Simone Biles won Olympic gold in the all-around, while Suni Lee took home bronze.
Stephen Nedoroscik not only clinched the bronze medal for Team USA during the men's gymnastics team final Monday, but he also accomplished another difficult feat: he became a meme.
In a sport where most athletes typically compete in multiple events, Nedoroscik has taken a completely opposite approach. Since the waning days of his high-school career, he has competed only on pommel horse − emerging as one of the best athletes in the world on this one apparatus, even at the apparent expense of the other five.
In arguably the most pressure-packed situation that one could imagine in men's gymnastics − the last routine of the last rotation of the Olympic final − Nedoroscik delivered in a big way Monday night, putting together a smooth, confident showing on pommel horse that wrapped up the bronze medal for the U.S. men's gymnastics team.
It was his only event of the night, on the apparatus he's practiced exclusively for years. And when it was over, his teammates hoisted him into the air, and he raised his hands above his head.
"It was just the greatest moment of my life, I think," Nedoroscik said.
You can watch his full routine, which earned him a score of 14.866, below.
Pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik CRUSHES the final routine that clinched Team USA's first Olympic men's gymnastics team medal since 2008. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/R303bZ0eQU
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
Social media reaction to Stephen Nedoroscik
Before his routine, Nedoroscik was shown with his head resting on a wall and his eyes closed, appearing to take a moment to focus. The image became the source of many jokes on social media.
Husbands and BFs on the sofas at Anthropologie pic.twitter.com/qE8NGgvekO
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) July 29, 2024
Stephen Nedoroscik is him #Olympics pic.twitter.com/8GQFbNxEB4
— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) July 29, 2024
Pommel Horse Guy seems like he’s the kicker of the US men’s gymnastics team who just made a clutch FG from 60 yards out. https://t.co/npAPKDjax5
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) July 29, 2024
Welders, by Ben Shahn, 1943 pic.twitter.com/2VwFWAm7wb
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) July 29, 2024
His pommel horse routine, and the clinching of the bronze medal for USA Gymnastics, also earned Nedoroscik the admiration of many social media users.
Stephen Nedoroscik coming out of the team USA locker room to do the pommel horsepic.twitter.com/wIPmkZNWv3
— Shane B (@strait_vibinn) July 29, 2024
taking off your glasses to then perform a near perfect routine on the pommel horse is so freaking metal
— sean yoo (@SeanYoo) July 29, 2024
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. pic.twitter.com/2vFygJBifW
— John Green (@sportswithjohn) July 29, 2024
Contributing: Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Stephen Nedoroscik's pommel horse routine clinch bronze for USA