Stephen Nedoroscik, the ‘Pommel Horse Guy’ Who Charmed the Internet, Wins Bronze
PARIS — For Stephen Nedoroscik, solving his Rubik’s cube in under 10 seconds the morning before competing in the Olympic Games seems to be a lucky charm, earning him a medal once again.
Known affectionately as “Pommel Horse Guy” by many Americans, Nedoroscik garnered attention for his heroics in the men’s gymnastics team finals earlier this week. His remarkable pommel horse routine secured a historic medal for the U.S.
On the morning of the team final, Nedoroscik managed to solve a Rubik’s cube in under ten seconds, which he declared a “good omen” on Instagram.
On Saturday, he repeated the feat. “Good omen pt. 2,” he wrote. Seven hours later, he won the bronze medal in the Olympic Games pommel horse final in Paris.
The Rubik’s cube is a form of meditation and a way to pass the time on long competition days, according to Nedoroscik. He used to worry that a quick solve might predict a poor performance. “I used to think, ‘Oh my gosh, this is going to be the best thing I do today,’ which kind of freaked me out,” he admitted.
This week’s events changed his perspective. “But after solving it in under 10 seconds before team finals and again today, I felt confident,” he said, laughing during a press conference.
At Paris’s Bercy Arena on Saturday, Nedoroscik was one of eight men competing for gold in the niche apparatus, known to be a challenge for many top all-around gymnasts.
Before starting his routine, he removed his glasses, which have endeared him to many, and placed them on the rim of the chalk bowl. He then performed 40 seconds of mesmerizing swings and twirls on the pommel horse.
In last weekend’s qualification round, Nedoroscik had tied for the highest score, raising hopes for a gold medal.
However, some competitors on Saturday performed more challenging routines. Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan, the winner of last year’s World Championships, took gold with a score of 15.533. Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan won silver.
Nedoroscik earned a bronze medal with a score of 15.3, making him the only American male gymnast to qualify for an apparatus final.
Competing fifth in the lineup, Nedoroscik chose not to watch other competitors or check scores before his turn. Instead, he decided to stick with his usual routine despite experimenting with upgrades, which didn’t go as well.
Although he realized his chances of beating McClenaghan’s high score were slim, Nedoroscik remained optimistic. “I didn’t know Rhys’ score or what I needed to get,” he said. “But landing and seeing his high score, I thought, ‘I may not have done enough, but wow, that’s amazing for Rhys.’”
Following his routine, McClenaghan pulled Nedoroscik in for a hug. “I was nervous watching you because you can perform any routine,” McClenaghan said.
Nedoroscik, a pommel horse specialist, was chosen specifically to address what was considered a weak point for the U.S. men’s gymnastics team.
The past week’s attention has been both exhilarating and distracting for Nedoroscik. “I’ve been on top of the world for the past week,” he said. “I had to turn off my notifications to focus on the competition.”
In the team final, the U.S. was assigned to the pommel horse for its last rotation, and Nedoroscik’s routine secured the bronze medal for the U.S., the first team medal in 16 years.
When he completed his routine, his teammates celebrated with joyous cheers and lifted him onto their shoulders. “It was the greatest moment of my life, and I am thrilled to be part of it,” Nedoroscik said.