Author – Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller is an award-winning Journalist, Broadcaster and Photographer, and OMP’s Head of Content.
Stephen Nedoroscik, who you may know as Pommel Horse Guy, delivered one of the most memorable moments of the Paris Olympics on Monday.
The 25-year-old who was solely in the US Gymnastics team for his ability on the Pommel Horse, had to wait until all of his teammates had completed their disciplines before he could have his moment.
If that wait wasn’t agonizing enough, Nedoroscik would have to complete his routine with near perfection – in the hardest disciplines in gymnastics – to get his team into a medal position.
The first medal by a US Men’s Gymnastics team since 2008.
U.S. high performance director Brett McClure said that Nedoroscik “probably had the most pressure than any other athlete tonight on the competition floor,”.
So how did Nedoroscik overcome this pressure?
He used mental skills.
While viewers at home around the world thought that he was sleeping Nedorosick was using breathing techniques and meditation to settle his nerves.
He also visualized his routine over 100 times.
“I do it all the time,” Nedoroscik said according to the Washington Post.
“Sometimes I think I do it too much, but what else am I to do with those empty spaces?”
Pre-Olympics the often described ‘nerd’ – who on social media was described as being like Clark Kent – said he had one goal in mind in 2024:
“I feel like I’ve gone to a lot of competitions, and I’ve done so many good routines in training, I’m just wanting to do one of those in front of a crowd.”
With the world watching, Nedorosick did exactly that.
A score of 15.166 delivering his team a drought breaking Bronze medal.
Nedoroscik’s Olympics continues as he has qualified for the Pommel Horse final on August 3.
