'Clark Kent’ pommel horse star Stephen Nedoroscik reflects on Olympic medals, shows off Rubik's Cube talent
Fresh off of an Olympic run that scored him two bronze medals after just two routines, men's gymnastics breakout star Stephen Nedoroscik stopped by CNN's studio for an interview with Coy Wire.
The pommel horse specialist went viral for his flawless performances and resemblance to Superman himself Clark Kent. His routine in the team event brought Team USA to a third-place finish after a 16-year medal drought and he also finished third in the individual pommel horse event.
When Wire asked Nedoroscik how he felt about the Clark Kent comparisons, the gymnast responded with gratitude and a smile.
"Totally cool with it. I love it,” Nedoroscik said.
He performs pommel horse without his glasses, which he wears due to two different eye conditions he was born with — strabismus and coloboma. Though the 25-year-old can't see very well without his glasses, he is still an incredible performer on the pommel horse. He explained how he accomplishes this to Wire.
"The thing about pommel horse is you're using your hands the whole time and you're feeling how your center of mass sort of swivels around. I don't need to see what I'm doing. I don't know about other athletes, but me specifically, I'm just doing it by how it feels," he said. "So even when I'm sitting there visualizing before I go, I'm literally walking through the motions, firing the same muscles cause, I know exactly how it feels every time.”
Wire asked Nedoroscik if he had a message for kids who might be dealing with an eye condition and maybe their hopes aren't as high because they don't think that they can perform at an elite level.
"I'm here. I made it up to this point. I think that anybody can do it as long as you have a dream and you're willing to put in the work to do it. I think anyone can achieve it,” Nedoroscik said.
Team USA's Clark Kent has become known for his quirks beyond the glasses, especially his Rubik's Cube talents and his mechanical engineering degree. Wire handed him a Rubiks cube during the interview to see if he could set a new record. Nedoroscik gladly accepted the challenge but struggled in the last few seconds.
“I just need to get through this… No… I missed it, cut the cameras!” he said while laughing.
Despite a Rubik's Cube miss, Nedoroscik is not feeling any stings of loss this Olympic cycle and even teased a 2028 Olympic run on social media recently.
"Bronze team. Bronze horse. I am forever grateful to have had this opportunity. This Olympic experience has been everything and more. Thank you to everyone who has supported me. Bronze is a great achievement, but I got eyes for something shinier in my future #2028," Nedortoscik said in a post on his X page.