The Olympics are a treasure trove of unlikely heroes, unblinking names that become legends overnight. That’s exactly what Steven Nedorosik did on Monday in the U.S. men’s artistic gymnastics competition. His masterful performance on the pommel horse earned the U.S. a bronze medal, its first men’s medal since 2008, and cemented him in the national consciousness as “The Man on the Pommel Horse.”
The pommel horse is a highly specialized skill in the world of gymnastics — it requires incredible core and upper body strength, as well as grace and balance — and it’s an event that traditionally favors smaller gymnasts and has historically struggled in the United States.
Nedorosic is a “saddleback specialist,” meaning he specializes in saddleback riding. only Pommel Horse. His role on the team was to sit on the bench all day, cheer on his teammates, and just wait for his event to come along. So what did he do? Well, he took a little nap, because there was no reason not to.
When his name was called, Nedorosik removed his glasses like Clark Kent, showed the world he was Superman, and scored 14.866 points to clinch the bronze medal for the United States — and become a meme in the process.
A true legend.
