Stephen Nedoroscik earned several nicknames during his remarkable journey to Olympic glory in Paris this summer.
At just 25, he captured a first Olympic medal for the US men’s gymnastics team in 16 years with his mesmerizing pommel horse routine in the finals held on Monday.
Now, Nedoroscik has become a viral sensation, with admirers affectionately referring to him as ‘pommel horse guy’ and humorously comparing the bespectacled gymnast to Clark Kent.
In his youth, however, he was known as ‘spider monkey’ for his ability to scale walls and give babysitters a fright.
‘On my first day of school, I climbed a rope to the top. After that, they invited me to join the gymnastics team. We went for it, and that was that,’ Nedoroscik disclosed recently.
Stephen Nedoroscik helped the US men’s gymnastics team win bronze in Paris on Monday
The gymnast scored 14.866 on the pommel horse on Monday to secure the medal for his team
Two decades later, Nedoroscik’s solid performance on the pommel horse won him bronze alongside teammates Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, and Asher Hong.
He has a condition called strabismus, commonly known as crossed eyes, which can result in double vision, yet he was not wearing glasses when he achieved his score of 14.866 on the pommel horse on Monday.
In a historic feat, he became the first American gymnast to qualify for the Olympic team specializing in a single event.
About ten years ago, the Massachusetts native chose to focus on the pommel horse, an event that has historically posed challenges for the US men’s national team.
Nedoroscik has become an internet sensation, with fans likening the gymnast to Clark Kent
Nedoroscik’s girlfriend Tess McCracken posted throwback pictures alongside the gymnast
‘I really don’t know how I manage to keep my composure,’ Nedoroscik confessed before the Games. ‘Every day I step into the gym, there’s always something to work on. There’s always room for improvement.’
Following his phenomenal display in Paris, he has become a household name, with his girlfriend Tess McCracken sharing nostalgic photos of their relationship as they celebrated their eight-year anniversary.
McCracken took to social media to post pictures from each year dating back to 2016.
Fans playfully commented that she was staking her claim, making it clear that Nedoroscik is officially taken.
