Olympics gymnastics: Stephen ‘Pommel Horse Guy’ Nedoroscik wins bronze medal

Stephen Nedoroscik’s meticulous consideration to particulars and rituals don’t cease along with his pommel horse routine.

Exterior the fitness center, the American athlete might be obsessive, too.

So when he once more solved his Rubik’s Dice in underneath 10 seconds on Saturday forward of the pommel horse last on the Paris Olympics, he knew it was a very good omen. He knew he might ship a efficiency that might earn him one other medal.

“After I solved it underneath 10 seconds earlier than 4 workforce finals, fixing it once more underneath 10 seconds for this competitors or right now, I used to be like, all proper, we acquired this,” the 25-year-old mentioned.

Earlier this week, the pommel horse specialist performed an important position in serving to the U.S. males earn bronze within the workforce last, sealing this system’s first Olympic medal in 16 years with a lights-out routine.

Nedoroscik was sensational once more underneath the roof of the Bercy Enviornment, flying over handles and touring comfortable from one facet of the pommel horse to the opposite.

It was a good contest, and Nedoroscik misplaced to two-time world champion Rhys McClenaghan of Eire and Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan. McClenaghan received with a rating of 15.533, with Nedoroscik capping his memorable keep in Paris with 15.300 factors.

Whereas McClenaghan elevated the issue of his routine, Nedoroscik tried some upgrades at coaching however lastly opted towards a change of plans. He additionally stored the identical weight-reduction plan.

“We simply continued to do the identical ritual time and again. I had six items of inexperienced apple within the morning with a chocolate muffin,” he mentioned. “That was my breakfast. I simply stored every thing precisely the identical.”

Specializing in a self-discipline that no person is aware of outdoors gymnastics circles, the Worcester, Massachusetts, native who received two NCAA championships at Penn State, has develop into a social media movie star, with dozens of memes and footage of him circulating within the digital world.

“It’s simply that unbelievable, the quantity of people who find themselves reaching out, following me. They have been going loopy. I imply,” he mentioned. “I assumed they have been hilarious. I’m glad that individuals are making memes of me. I feel it’s so humorous. I actually needed to go and switch off my notifications yesterday as a result of I wanted to have the ability to lock in for this competitors.”

His new followers have in contrast the bespectacled Nedoroscik to Superman’s alter ego Clark Kent for his potential to rework right into a hero on the pommel horse.

“If somebody had requested me what about I might ultimately achieve traction, I might have in all probability mentioned it was my eyewear or extra of my eyes, my ailments that I’ve,” he mentioned. “You realize, I do assume I’m only a quirky man, and I’m glad that individuals are having fun with my competitors.”

Pommel horse is an equipment the American males have traditionally struggled with, however Nedoroscik has beloved it since childhood. He practiced on it for hours after his mother and father put in one within the yard. In 2021, Nedoroscik turned the primary U.S. gymnast to win a world championship gold medal on pommel horse.

The “monotony” and rituals Nedoroscik enjoys a lot, nonetheless, have been disturbed by the departure from the athletes village of a few of his U.S. teammates who have been already completed with their very own competitions.

“So it was positively slightly lonely within the village,” he mentioned. “However to fill that point, I solved the Rubik’s Dice a pair hundred occasions and acquired myself one other sub 10. In order that’s about all I wanted for this competitors.”

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AP Summer time Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games