Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Stephen Nedoroscik, affectionately known as “Pommel Horse Guy,” is setting the record straight after a viral moment during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Viral Meme Moment
Nedoroscik, 25, became an unexpected internet sensation during the men’s team gymnastics final on July 29, when cameras caught him seemingly napping while waiting for his turn to compete. The now-infamous image, showing him with his eyes closed and relaxed posture, quickly went viral and turned into a meme across social media. One meme, shared on X, humorously read, “This Ken’s job is horse.”
Clearing Up the Napping Myth
During a guest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 13, Nedoroscik was asked by host Jimmy Fallon if he had actually been napping, as the internet had speculated. Nedoroscik laughed and explained that, as the last competitor to compete, he had to wait for about five hours before it was his turn.
“We get there earlier, warm up, and march out to compete,” Nedoroscik clarified. “So, finally, when it got to pommel horse, I needed to calm down. All I’m doing there is tilting my head back, doing my breathing exercises, and visualizing a lot—like a hundred times.” He reassured fans that what appeared to be a nap was, in fact, his mental preparation for the intense competition ahead.
A Historic Bronze Medal
Nedoroscik’s focus and visualization techniques paid off. He and his Team USA teammates—Brody Malone, Fred Richard, Asher Hong, and Paul Juda—secured a bronze medal in the men’s team final, marking the U.S. men’s gymnastics team’s first medal in 16 years. “It was just the greatest moment of my life,” Nedoroscik said after the event.
Days later, on August 3, Nedoroscik earned another bronze medal in the men’s pommel horse final, finishing behind Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan and Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov.
The Viral Fame
Despite his remarkable performance, Nedoroscik became just as famous for his viral moment as for his athletic achievements. He revealed that he didn’t check his phone for hours after the competition due to drug testing. It wasn’t until he sat down for dinner with his family that his girlfriend informed him that he was trending on Twitter.
He recalled, “I only got about 15 minutes with them, and my girlfriend goes, ‘Dude, have you looked at your phone?’ And I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’ She’s like, ‘You’re trending on Twitter.’ And I was like, ‘You’re joking me.’ It’s insane.”
Embracing the ‘Nerd’ Image
In addition to his pommel horse fame, Nedoroscik opened up about his personal life and identity. He admitted that he proudly identifies as a “nerd.” “I totally am. I love math. I’m an electrical engineer,” he shared in a GQ interview. “I like to think that I’m just a regular dude who happens to be really good at pommel horse.”
While his viral nap moment may have brought him internet fame, it’s Nedoroscik’s dedication and focus on his sport that truly earned him two Olympic bronze medals in Paris, solidifying his place in gymnastics history.
