Who Is Stephen Nedoroscik? The Pommel Horse Phenom Who Reigned at the Tokyo Olympics

American male gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik made history at the Paris Olympics this year by becoming the only American man to secure a spot in the individual finals in any apparatus event. The U.S. men’s team put in its all to win its first Olympic medal ending Team USA’s 16-year drought. Nedoroscik, who started gymnastics in 2003, scored a total of 15.200 points, tying with Rhys McClenaghan for first place. In 2021, he became the first gymnast representing the USA to win a gold medal on the pommel horse at the World Championships.

In the qualifying round in Subdivision 1, which aired on July 27th, Nedoroscik delivered a standout performance in just 45 seconds. His score of 15.200 points was followed by runner-up Max Whitlock, who scored 15.166 points. After his performance, the 25-year-old became a supportive teammate, cheering for others and handing out refreshments. “I was like, ‘Let’s just get it done; let’s go for it,’” Nedoroscik recalled, calling the landing of the dismount “the best moment of my life.” He added: “Right here, I was like, ‘If I put this dismount up, Team USA gets a medal!’” As Nedoroscik still has a chance to add another medal when he competes in the pommel horse final later in the Games, let’s delve into his journey.

Early life and specialization in the pommel horse

Stephen Nedoroscik was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on October 28, 1998, to parents Cheryl and John Nedoroscik. He also has two sisters named Anastasia and Samantha. Recalling his earliest memories of wanting to be a gymnast, he said, “I was really just a monkey as a kid. I had a crazy good grip strength. I was just in a really good environment to become a gymnast.” He was always a natural gymnast. Nedoroscik began walking at just 9 months and running at 1 year. He started climbing around that age as well. Everything in the house was something to climb for him, so when he was 4 years old, his parents decided to enroll him in a club gym program.

On his first day at the gym, Nedoroscik climbed a 15-foot rope, and within a few days, he was invited to join the team. He currently trains at EVO Gymnastics under head coach Syque Caesar, along with coaches Kevin Mazeika and Sam Mikulak.

Stephen Nedoroscik shifted his focus to the pommel horse during his time at Worcester Technical High School. For a long time, the parallel bars were his favorite and best event. However, it wasn’t until his sophomore year in high school that his pommel horse abilities quickly surpassed those of his parallel bars. He then went on to win the Junior Olympic National title on the pommel horse in 2015 and 2016.

He believes the longer he continues to focus on the pommel horse, the less likely he is to add another apparatus to his repertoire. Nedoroscik added, “I’ve always had that thought of potentially picking up parallel bars or rings. But with the years that pass of me just being a specialist, it’s becoming less and less likely that I’ll be able to do that. So probably not.” In 2021 he won the tournament in Kitakyushu, Japan. This year at the Paris Games, he is the only American male gymnast to have qualified for the individual events and Stephen Nedoroscik did so in the Pommel horse. 

College career and achievements

Stephen Nedoroscik joined Penn State University in 2017 and competed for the Nittany Lions men’s gymnastics team while pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. He quickly became a standout athlete in the Pommel horse. Nedoroscik secured the national title on pommel horse in the NCAA Championships during his freshman year. He even defended the title as a sophomore, becoming just the third gymnast in Penn State history to win consecutive national championships on the PH. 

Subsequently, he was awarded the Nissen-Emery Award in 2020, which is given to the top senior gymnast in the NCAA. He also won several All-American honors and was named the CGA National Specialist of the Year. In college, he recorded the USA’s highest qualifying average for the 2020 season which was 15.217. 

Rise to national prominence: International competitions and breakthroughs

Stephen Nedoroscik’s national journey began as part of Penn State University when he won the 2015 Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. He then went on to win the Pommel horse in the 2016 Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships and the 2017 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships in West Point, New York. Later he placed 7th in the 2017 P&G Championships and 4th in the 2018 Winter Cup Challenge. 

He made a strong comeback in 2018, winning the pommel horse at the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships and leading his team to a 6th-place finish. He also placed 3rd in the National Qualifier for pommel horse that year. In 2019, he continued to excel, winning the pommel horse at the Winter Cup Challenge, finishing 2nd at the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships in Champaign, Ill, and securing 2nd place at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships.

Internationally, Nedoroscik placed 6th at the 2019 Doha World Cup and 8th at the Turner der Meister World Cup in Germany. He won 1st place at the 2020 Melbourne World Cup and again at the 2021 World Championships. In 2022, he finished 3rd at the World Championships. At the 2023 Pan American Games, he placed 5th on the pommel horse while his team won first place. He also secured a gold medal at the 2024 Baku World Cup.

Recent achievements and Olympic journey: A personal touch

Stephen Nedoroscik excelled in his favorite event, the pommel horse, with notable achievements over the years. In 2021, he placed 2nd at the Winter Cup and secured 1st and 3rd at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships and U.S. Olympic Team Trials. In 2022, he won the pommel horse at the U.S. Classic and OOFOS U.S. Gymnastics Championships. His 2023 successes included 3rd at the Winter Cup, 1st at the Core Hydration Classics, and 1st at the Xfinity Games.

This year, Nedoroscik continued to shine with 2nd at the Winter Cup, 1st at the U.S. Gymnastics Championship, and 2nd at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He scored a remarkable 30.000 on the pommel horse at the Xfinity Games and secured 1st place at the Core Hydration Classics with a score of 15.157.

At the USA Olympic Trials, he finished first on the pommel horse and qualified for the Paris Games alongside Asher Hong and Brody Malone. During the 2024 Olympics in Paris, he was the only American to qualify for the pommel horse final. Known for his sports glasses, which he wears for comfort and superstition, Stephen also enjoys video games. Since graduating from Penn State University in 2020, he has served as a volunteer assistant coach at the university while continuing to train there.