Stephen Nedoroscik is an Olympic hero.
The 2016 Worcester Tech graduate delivered the pommel horse routine of his life Monday to help the United States men’s gymnastics team win its first medal in 16 years.
Nedoroscik, who was introduced to the sport at the Sterling Academy of Gymnastics, was joined on the Paris podium by Paul Juda, Fred Richard, Asher Hong and Brody Malone.
And it was Nedoroscik who clinched bronze for the Americans.
Juda, Hong and Richard gave the team exactly what it needed during the floor rotation, leaving three routines on pommel horse between them and an Olympic medal.
Juda and Malone both recorded higher scores than qualifications in the first and second spots, leaving Nedoroscik, the pommel horse specialist, to wrap things up for the U.S.
In an effort to prepare and remain oblivious to the scores, both from other countries and his own team’s, Nedoroscik had spent the the high bar and floor rotations off the competition floor in the warm-up gym.
As Nedoroscik stepped up to compete, he said he was oblivious to the fact that his routine would decide if his country earned a team medal. He was only aware of the energy exuding from the teammates that went before him.
“I could hear all of them cheering… it sounded like things were going really well,” Nedoroscik said. “At that moment, I knew that every guy had hit every single routine. I have this thing where if everyone hits before me, I never miss.”
That tradition continued for Nedoroscik. Before his feet even hit the mat on the way down from his dismount, the arena was filled with roaring applause and collective cheers. No time was wasted by his fellow teammates as he was greeted with a collection of bear hugs down on the floor.
Once scores were finalized and the number “3” was displayed on the screen next to USA, it took only moments for American flags to be draped across the backs of each member of the team. A collection of ‘U-S-A’ chants began again, this time a little louder.
“It’s surreal,” Richard said. “We’re going to be written in history, all of us.”
The American’s score of 257.793 finished behind Japan, gold medal winners for the eighth time (259.594), and China (259.062). The last time the U.S. took home a medal in the event was in Beijing, where they also earned the bronze.
Nedoroscik, who grew up in Worcester’s Indian Lake neighborhood, will chase a second Olympic medal when he competes in the pommel horse final on Saturday.
Material in this story was reprinted with permission of the USOC and teamusa.com.
