US Pommel Horse Prodigy Stephen Nedoroscik Perfects Lifelong Dream Routine

By the time Nedoroscik neared his dismount, he knew his job was complete. The celebration began before his feet even hit the mat.

PARIS, France — Sam Mikulak had a crucial task for Stephen Nedoroscik, the American pommel horse specialist. Mikulak, a three-time Olympian turned coach, told Nedoroscik that 80% effort would be sufficient to clinch a medal. However, the coach knew well that Nedoroscik only operates at 100%.

“You have to trick yourself,” Mikulak advised. “You’ve got to make sure you don’t let all the noise get into your head.” Nedoroscik, who hails from Worcester, Massachusetts, took this to heart. For the past decade, he’s devoted himself to an event historically considered a weak point for the U.S. men’s gymnastics team.

Drilling his routine during qualifying had secured his spot in the finals. But Monday night brought different stakes. Teammates Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, and Asher Hong had executed 17 flawless routines, positioning the Americans for their first medal since 2008 in Beijing. Nedoroscik aimed not just to hold on but to prove his worth.

For 45 seconds, Nedoroscik delivered a mesmerizing performance. As his hands glided across the pommel horse and his legs swung gracefully, his teammates and numerous U.S. fans in Bercy Arena cheered. The elusive medal drew closer, a far cry from the team’s consecutive fifth-place finishes in previous Olympics.

When Nedoroscik completed his dismount, he knew he’d nailed it. The crowd’s applause erupted even before his feet touched the mat. All the arduous years of training, mental and physical reps, and his quirky habits culminated in this moment. He scored a 14.866, securing a future for the U.S. men’s program with hopes for the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

“I kind of in that moment was like, ‘All right, let’s run it back and let’s go out there and do our thing,’” Nedoroscik said. His journey had filled a critical void for the U.S. team. The 2012 squad had faltered on the pommel horse, seeing their medal dreams dashed by repeated errors. Nedoroscik knew this history, which only fueled his determination to excel in the event.

His early challenges on the apparatus taught him resilience. “Running into trouble on the apparatus early on taught me how to fight, how to stay on, how to really go for that routine,” he explained. His mastery allowed him a unique form of expression and improvisation, components seldom found in other gymnastics events.

Nedoroscik now heads to the event finals on Saturday, with a qualifying score of 15.200, tying Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan for the top spot among the eight finalists. He hopes to take home another medal but knows that surpassing Monday’s triumph will be a daunting task.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” Nedoroscik said, sitting alongside his teammates who had become the new royalty of U.S. men’s gymnastics. “I love you boys,” he added, encapsulating the spirit and camaraderie that had brought them this far.