Stephen Nedoroscik, the Superman of pommel horse, leads Team USA to bronze medal

An unexpected event at the Olympics has caught everyone’s attention — the pommel horse — and it is all thanks to one athlete: Stephen Nedoroscik.

The 25-year-old mechanical engineer has been compared to Clark Kent across the internet due to his Superman-like transformation when he removes his glasses before his pommel horse routine.

Nedoroscik, one of the world’s best athletes on the pommel horse, showcased his skills during the men’s gymnastics team event, leading Team USA to a bronze medal and instantly cementing himself as a viral sensation.

In an interview with “ Today ,” Nedoroscik addressed the memes his viral performance has spawned.

“I think they’re awesome,” Nedoroscik said. “I’m representing people that wear glasses well.”

Stephen Nedoroscik leads Team USA to bronze

Nedoroscik is not the typical gymnast that is asked to compete in the team event.

Usually, Olympic gymnasts are expected to perform on several or all of the six events comprising the sport, per NBC News . However, Nedoroscik specializes only in the pommel horse.

This specialization has allowed Nedoroscik to become one of the best in the world.

According to CNN , in 2021, he became the first U.S. athlete to win gold on the pommel horse at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

Due to his outstanding talent, Team USA decided to include him in the team event, despite his single-event focus.

“What it comes down to is that (Nedoroscik’s) scores on pommel horse are so much higher than everybody else on that one event that he adds a tremendous amount of potential score,” NBC Sports gymnastics analyst Tim Daggett said.

“That one routine from Nedoroscik gives Team USA basically a full point over the next guy in line for the USA,” he added.

Team USA’s bet paid off, and Nedoroscik secured a spot on the podium with a bronze medal after receiving a score of 14.866.

Per NBC News, the U.S. has not won a medal in the team event since 2008.

Stephen Nedoroscik’s viral charm

The internet’s obsession with Nedoroscik stems from his transformation when he approaches the pommel horse, earning him nicknames like “pommel horse guy” and “Mr. Pommel Horse.”

His girlfriend, embracing the memes and showing support, added “Ms. Pommel Horse” to her bio on X, according to NBC News .

“I have people like tagging me, calling me ‘Lois Lane.’ I’m like, ‘OK, I’m not going to be mad about it,’” she told NBC News.

Fans of Nedoroscik have taken to social media to show their adoration.

“Obsessed with this guy on the US men’s gymnastics team who’s only job is pommel horse,” one user on X said. “He just sits there until he’s activated like a sleeper agent, whips off his glasses like Clark Kent and does a pommel horse routine that helps deliver the team its first medal in 16 years.”

NBC Olympics joined in on the fun with a TikTok video highlighting his unexpected presence on Team USA, with commenters noting he delivered an impressive performance.

Challenges with strabismus

Nedoroscik has crossed eyes, known as strabismus, per Today .

This condition results from misaligned eye muscles and can cause double vision, blurry vision, trouble reading or a loss of depth perception, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology .

In previous competitions, he wore goggles to retain his eyesight while swinging around, but they are not necessary for his performance. He relies on touch more than sight, which is why he opted not to wear glasses for his Olympic routine, creating the moment that led to his viral fame.

“It’s not necessarily clear, but the thing about pommel horse is if I keep them on, they’re gonna fly somewhere,” Nedoroscik told “Today” about why he removed his glasses.

“When I go up on the pommel horse, it’s all about feeling the equipment,” he continued. “I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics. It’s all in the hands — I can feel everything.”