Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik’s skills extend past the pommel horse — he’s also a top player of a popular video game.
Nedoroscik, 25, ranks in the top 1.7 percent on the video game Rocket League, which he plays under the username Gymnaststeve. In a clip shared via social media, Nedoroscik is seen playing the game shirtless and raising his hands in celebration.
The Team USA gymnast also has a special talent with the Rubik’s cube, which he displayed ahead of the men’s pommel horse final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “I probably solved it about 100 times, maybe even more than that,” he told Teen Vogue on Tuesday, August 6. “It’s a way for me to kill time and is also a stress reliever as well.”
Nedoroscik told the outlet that his goal is to solve the Rubik’s cube in under 10 seconds, which he was able to do ahead of securing the bronze medal with his teammates, Brody Malone, Fred Richard, Asher Hong and Paul Juda. (The U.S. men’s gymnastics team took home their first medal in 16 years on July 29.)
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Nedoroscik’s self-described nerdy persona has captured the hearts of viewers during the Olympic games, with many likening him to Clark Kent due to his glasses. Nedoroscik, for his part, thinks he became an internet sensation because of his surprise element.
“I think that it’s being someone you don’t expect to be able to do something cool, I guess,” he told GQ on Sunday, August 4. “Honestly, I’m very authentic about being a nerd. I totally am. I love math. I’m an electrical engineer. I like to think that I’m just a regular dude who happens to be really good at pommel horse. And it’s cool that people were able to see me be who I am and then also go out there and get the job done for Team USA.”
After earning the bronze medal with his teammates last month, Nedoroscik added another bronze medal. In the men’s pommel horse final on Saturday, August 3, he finished behind Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan and Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov.
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While reflecting on his performance, Nedoroscik noted that he was “surprised” by his ability to suppress his nerves.
“I totally thought that the pressure was going to be so much more intense,” Nedoroscik told Teen Vogue on Tuesday. “But somehow when I went up to that pommel horse [on Saturday], I literally just enjoyed the moment and performed.”
