Stephen Nedoroscik Went Full Clark Kent at the Paris Olympics and the Internet Noticed
Thanks to an absolutely mesmerizing pommel horse routine that scored Team U.S.A. its first medal in men’s gymnastics since 2008, Stephen Nedoroscik is having a major meme moment.
The 25-year-old glasses-wearing “pommel horse guy” first attracted attention during the July 29, 2024 competition, but not (initially) because of his performance. Instead, fans couldn’t help but notice that he spent hours that day supporting his teammates by fetching them water and cheering them on. The reason he didn’t compete in the earlier events is because Nedoroscik is a member of the team solely because of his prowess at just one event, the pommel horse, and nothing else. He’s kind of the “pro from Dover,” a weapon that’s only deployed when the time is right.
That time came at the very end of the meet, when it was up to Nedoroscik to beat Great Britain to secure Team U.S.A.’s first medal in 16 years. Right before the event, NBC shared this photo of the athlete seemingly cool, calm, collected, and firmly “in the zone.”
Later, Nedoroscik told Today’s Savannah Guthrie, “I’m doing my breathing exercises. We always try to keep our heart rate down and through that five minutes I’m sitting there, I’m just visualizing my routine over and over … that’s all I’m doing in my head.”
Despite his calm demeanor, when it was his time to shine, he did. And HOW!
Nedoroscik crushed it at his one and only event, earning a massive score of 14.866 to bring his team to an overall score of 257.793. His performance in the ninth inning broke the 16-year dry spell while also launching the first official meme rush of the Paris Olympics. People flocked to social media to share images of the bespeckled athlete, whom many dubbed the “Clark Kent” of the Games. Here’s a sampling of the best Stephen Nedoroscik memes so far.
“Golly, Lois.”
It’s funny because it’s true.
“Just resting his eyes!”
Well. It finds me well.
This was definitely Nedoroscik’s “hold my beer” moment.
Glasses-wearing people have a new hero.
As an aside, Nedoroscik also told Today that he always removes his glasses before performing on the pommel horse, stating that his vision is “not necessarily clear,” but that they will “fly somewhere” if he tries to keep them on. “When I go up on the pommel horse, it’s all about feeling the equipment,” he said. “I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics. It’s all in the hands—I can feel everything.”
He just came to kick some butt and solve some Rubik’s cubes, and he’s all out of Rubik’s cubes.
The hero we need right now.
Stand by … recharging.
Glasses rule.
We can’t click “like” fast enough!
As for Nedoroscik, the athlete seems to be taking the new meme attention in his stride. “I think they’re awesome,” he told Hoda Kotb. “I’m representing people that wear glasses well.”
He sure is! Congratulations to Stephen Nedoroscik and the entire men’s Team U.S.A. gymnastics team on their bronze medal. The Paris Olympics will air on NBC from July 26, 2024, to August 11, 2024.
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