It looks like the pommel horse specialist might be ready to take off his glasses again on the Olympic stage. Wondering what we mean? Well, we are talking about Stephen Nedoroscik– the unpredictable athlete. Before the pommel horse final in the Paris Olympics, on August 3, he did something pretty out of the blue, he turned off his notifications and spent hours solving a Rubik’s cube. And we’re not talking about solving it once. He probably did it over 100 times, all while trying to crack the puzzle in under 10 seconds. In that moment, his biggest challenge? Not the Olympics, but that cube. It just goes to show, that when it comes to being laser-focused, Stephen’s got it in spades.

After that, Stephen was brought onto Team USA as the pommel horse specialist, filling a spot the men’s team needed. What seemed like a weak link for them turned into their secret weapon. With his glasses off, due to a condition called strabismus (where his eyes cross), he stepped up and nailed a flawless 45-second routine that earned him the only individual medal for a U.S. men’s gymnastics.

Nedoroscik’s routine scored 15.300, securing Team USA’s first Olympic medal in 16 years — a bronze. If he could solve that Rubik’s cube with such precision, why couldn’t he go toe-to-toe with the best in the world? Now, with the 2028 Olympics on his radar, Stephen’s not resting on his laurels. He’s all in, saying, “I’m going for 2028. I just love the sport too much to let it go. As long as I’m getting better, still enjoying it, and my body can handle it, I’m going to continue. 100% going to continue.” Talk about going the extra mile! He’s got his eyes on the prize, and nothing is going to stop him from reaching it.

So, what keeps him motivated? It’s not just his love for the sport. Stephen recently opened up about what truly drives him. On November 15th, he appeared on the Shawn & Andrew Podcast, hosted by former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and former NFL player Andrew East. During their conversation about competition, Stephen was asked who he looks up to in gymnastics. His answer? “I look up to the people I’m worried about, you know, the people who can beat me.”

Stephen Nedoroscik isn’t driven by medals or applause; his motivation stems from a pursuit of being the best. He continued, “I want to be the best in the world, and right now, I’m looking at this dude who’s a little better than me, so I’m going to keep chasing him until I’m better.”

Looking forward to the 2028 Olympics, with Stephen’s dedication in mind only emphasizes how his drive will continue to intensify over time. What is truly remarkable is his willingness to embrace imperfections while striving for excellence, beyond boundaries. It’s fascinating to note that he used to be a youngster completely disinterested in sports—yes including gymnastics!

Stephen Nedoroscik’s unlikely inspirations

In the same podcast episode, Stephen Nedoroscik mentioned that during his childhood he didn’t pay attention to gymnastics. “I enjoyed doing the sport so much, but I never really had a role model in it whatsoever,” he explained. It was when he reached college that he started considering who his role models were and discovered that his fellow competitors were the ones who motivated him the most. Now seeing where he is today—it’s clear that while gymnastics remains his passion, his love for dancing has also blossomed.

“Never in my life would I have thought I could do a jive,” Nedoroscik said, yet he did it. After his success in Paris, Stephen joined Dancing with the Stars, where he initially felt unsure about his dancing skills, even admitting he was “a very cowardly and scared dancer.” But fast forward to Week 9, and he’s proven himself more than capable.

Even last week, Stephen Nedoroscik brought it on during the show’s November 12th episode. He and his partner, Rylee Arnold, took on a Viennese waltz to “Glimpse of Us” by Joji, recreating a routine Charli D’Amelio had performed before. And there, they scored 29/30, with two perfect tens and one nine. But that wasn’t all!

In the instant dance round, Stephen had to pull off a jive to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Love is Embarrassing,” earning a solid 25/30. In the end, he scored a total of 54/60 for the night, proving he’s not just a gymnast — he’s got serious dance moves too! He’s the kind of guy who keeps his nose to the grindstone, no distractions, no shortcuts — just pure determination. How do you see Stephen Nedoroscik’s career unfolding? Tell us in the comment section below!