Stephen Nedoroscik’s popularity exploded at the Paris Olympics. Unlike the rest of his teammates, the pommel horse special would calmly on the sideline and compete only on his apparatus of choice. However, Nedorscik’s demeanor and habit of taking off his glasses before earning two bronze medals with his performances made him a superstar.

Fans hailed the cool gymnast as the Clark Kent of Team USA. Just like Kent removed his glasses to transform into Superman, Nedoroscik seemed to earn Olympic medals after doing the same. Yet, it was this specialization that initially became an issue for gymnasts. “There was like an immediate sort of like, community hatred that I made the team,” said Nedoroscik.

Critics saw his Olympic qualification as unworthy at the trials. They viewed the 25-year-old’s specialization as a limitation. “I immediately knew like I had something to prove,” Nedoroscik said while appearing on an episode of Mythical Kitchen on YouTube. “I’m a very positive guy, but seeing people doubt me kind of fuels me,” he added.

So the Worcester resident’s only focus at the Olympics was to silence his critics. “So like my whole goal going into the Olympic cycle wasn’t to get famous. It wasn’t to get brand deals… It was to come home with hardware so that I could like… ‘See this guys? I’ve made the team for a reason.’” the Pommel Horse Guy told host Josh Scherer.

However, not only did Stephen Nedoroscik earn his coveted Olympic “hardware,” he made history. The former Pan-Am Games helped the US Men’s Gymnastics team earn their first Olympic team medal in 16 years. However, the Penn State gymnast showcased just how reliable he had become as a specialist during the individual events.

At the Paris Olympics, Team USA’s Brody Malone had a tough start, beginning on pommel horse and later struggling on his signature event, the high bar, which ultimately dashed his hopes for an individual medal. In the All-Around finals, Frederick Richard faced his own setback, slipping on the pommel horse in his opening rotation. Despite a strong effort, Richard and teammate Paul Juda placed 14th and 15th—solid but off the podium.

Meanwhile, Stephen Nedoroscik played it smart from the get-go. In the team finals, did a less difficult pommel horse routine than in qualification, but he still scored an impressive 14.866. His routine helped Team USA secure the bronze medal—their first team medal since 2008.

Then, in the individual pommel horse final, Nedoroscik stepped it up, scoring a 15.300 to earn the bronze medal. He became the only U.S. male gymnast to earn an individual medal in Paris. This win also marked the first individual medal for the U.S. men’s team since 2016. Now, following his viral fame, these critics may not like what the 25-year-old has planned for the future.

Stephen Nedoroscik plans to further embrace his specialist persona

While being one-dimensional is often used with negative connotations, that definition falls apart for the Olympic medalist. Since getting labeled as the Pommel Horse Guy and Team USA’s Clark Kent, Nedoroscik has embraced his persona on live television. The former world champion has even incorporated both the Superman and pommel horse elements in his DWST dance routines.

Now, the Olympian is planning to get right back into training after DWTS. While participating in Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars has been a fun detour for the gymnast, his goals lie elsewhere. “Bronze is a great achievement, but I got my eyes for something shinier in my future #2028,” Stephen Nedoroscik said after his Paris Olympics success.

And for these four years, the Olympic medalist will continue to refine his so-called one-dimensional talent. “As soon as this show is going to be over, I’m immediately going to go back to like my alma mater Penn State for a quick gymnastics camp,” Nedoroscik doubled down his stance in an interview with Joe Vulpis. However, the bronze medalist seems to have taken to dancing more than he realized.

Last month, Nedoroscik’s partner Rylee Arnold teased his fans. “Maybe you’ll be seeing Stephen on tour,” Arnold said after their Argentine Tango routine. While the Paris 2024 medalist responded with a “maybe,” he also later discussed the possibility. “How cool would it be to just go around the country and do like dance routines?” he told Vulpis. It seems that the Massachusetts native is open to trying something new after silencing his critics.