They call him the Clark Kent of pommel horse—not just for his clean-cut looks and signature glasses, but for the low-key genius behind the quiet demeanor. Stephen Nedoroscik, the 25-year-old gymnast who stole hearts with his 2024 Paris Olympics performance, isn’t just a world-class athlete. He’s a Rubik’s Cube whiz, a math-video binge-watcher, yet even for Nedoroscik, 2024 wasn’t all sweet and smooth.

Well, as the Olympic spotlight faded, Nedoroscik took an unexpected detour to Dancing With the Stars, finishing fourth and trading gym chalk for dance shoes. Now, as he laces up for a gymnastics comeback, it’s his mental journey that’s got us hooked. How did a nine-month break reshape this Olympic hero?

Fresh off his Olympic high, Nedoroscik faced a daunting reality. “As gymnasts, we always say that if you take a week off, it’s going to take a month to get back in shape,” he shared in a Yahoo Life interview. Nine months away from the pommel horse? That’s a gamble most athletes would dread. Yet, since May, he’s been back in the gym, training five days a week for the U.S. Championships in August. Surprisingly, he is ahead of schedule, reclaiming skills faster than expected. His wrists and elbows, battered from years of pommel horse work, feel better than they did a year ago, thanks to DWTS’s low-impact dance routines. But what about the mental grind of gymnastics?

Nedoroscik’s no stranger to pressure. “A year ago, I was struggling in the gym as I was chasing that Olympic dream,” he admitted. Those nine months off weren’t just a physical breather, they were a mental reset. He processed the emotional weight of his Olympic journey, reframing doubts into a positive mindset for upcoming competitions, maybe even the world championships this fall. What did that reset look like in real terms?

It looked like staying home. Spending time solving cubes. Reconnecting with his roots in Worcester, Massachusetts. And most importantly, reframing the pressure cooker that was his Olympic journey. “I’m reframing it in my head and trying to keep a positive mentality, so that I can gear up for the competition this summer and hopefully the world championships in the fall,” he shared.

Now, with the calendar pushing toward more high-stakes competition, Stephen Nedoroscik is back in the gym, this time with a steadier mindset and recharged spirit. So how will this new version of “Clark Kent” show up when it matters most? The fall stage is set and all eyes are on his pommel horse. How did the star start? Let’s trace his journey…

Stephen Nedoroscik’s career journey

As a kid in Worcester, Massachusetts, Stephen Nedoroscik was a “spider monkey,” climbing anything in sight. By age four, his parents channeled that energy into gymnastics at Sterling Academy. He started on all apparatuses, but by high school, pommel horse became his thing. Winning Junior Olympic titles in 2015 and 2016 proved he was special. Ever wonder what makes a gymnast zero in on one event?

At Penn State, Nedoroscik’s focus sharpened. He snagged NCAA pommel horse titles in 2017 and 2018, plus the 2020 Nissen Emery Award. His goggles, a quirky gift from a teammate, became his trademark. But the 2020 Olympic Trials? A fall crushed his Tokyo dreams.

Nedoroscik turned setbacks into fuel. In 2021, despite a broken hand, he won gold at the World Championships in Japan, the first American to claim pommel horse world glory. Fast forward to Paris 2024: his 14.866 routine helped Team USA snag bronze, ending a 16-year medal drought. He also nabbed an individual bronze with a 15.300 score. What’s next for the “Pommel Horse Guy”?

Now, he’s eyeing a namesake skill and LA 2028. Can he redefine gymnastics history again?