Penn State Alum Stephen Nedoroscik Wins Olympic Bronze in Pommel Horse

Former Penn State gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik won his second medal of the 2024 Summer Olympics on Saturday, taking bronze in the men’s pommel horse final.

Dubbed “Pommel Horse Guy” by viewers after his performance for the U.S. in the team finals earlier in the week, Nedoroscik scored 15.300 points for his routine in the individual finals on Saturday in Paris, good for third behind Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan and Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov.

Nedoroscik is the U.S. men’s gymnastics team’s first medalist in the event since 2016.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Stephen and his Olympic effort,” Penn State men’s gymnastics head coach Randy Jepson said. “To clinch a bronze medal in the individual finals to go along with his team bronze is simply outstanding. Today, all of America, especially Nittany Nation and Penn State men’s gymnastics celebrate his success.” 

The 25-year-old specialist became a viral sensation for his Clark Kent-style glasses, meditative demeanor and heroic performance on Monday as his pommel horse routine sealed the bronze for the U.S. in the men’s team final, its first medal since 2008. An image of him with his eyes closed on the sidelines quickly became a meme after his performance.

Nedoroscik only competed in the pommel horse and waited hours through five rotations before taking his turn in the last routine of the team finals, where he wowed with a 14.866. 

While at Penn State, Nedoroscik was a two-time national champion in the pommel horse and won the Nissen-Emery Award in 2020 as the nation’s top senior gymnast, the first specialist to do so. He went on to win a world championship in 2021.

“I love my Penn State family. I’m hoping to go and visit Happy Valley soon,” Nedoroscik said in an interview posted on the NCAA X account Wednesday. “Honestly speaking, I could not be here without them. They built me into the person and gymnast I’ve become and I’m more than grateful.”