You too can become a wooden horse expert
By now you may have realized that Pommel Horse Guy is not some mysterious centaur, but Stephen Nedoroscik, gymnast has emerge as a protagonist of the Paris Olympics after helping the United States win the bronze medal in the men’s gymnastics team final on Monday night. The 25-year-old has a degree in electrical engineering and the glasses he takes off when asked to perform superhuman feats are giving the internet a Clark Kent’s main vibe. He can also solve a Rubik’s Cube in less than 10 seconds.
But his most unique talent is that he’s an equipment specialist—unlike his multi-event teammates, Nedoroscik only competes in pommel horse. He’s that good. On Saturday, he’ll be vying for another medal in the men’s individual final—and with the eyes of the world (or at least the online super-people) watching.
But with great power comes with great responsibility. On Monday, that meant Nedooroscik had to sit silently on the sidelines for nearly three hours, sometimes tilting his head back and closing his eyes (many arrive the joy of the internet) while his teammates went through several rotations. When his number was finally called, Nedooroscik was ready. His teammates shouted “Let’s go!” from the sidelines as Nedoroscik served the ball. a clean habit, 35 seconds The mesmerizing single-leg swings and extended double-leg circles looked like a particularly elegant breakdance. As he dismounted, a smile crossed his lips before his feet hit the mat.
The bronze ended a 16-year medal drought for the U.S. men’s gymnastics team—but judging by the way his teammates lifted Nedoroscik up as they jumped up and down in delight, they could have won all the gold, too. It was the kind of dopamine-inducing moment that people come to the Olympics to see, rekindling their faith in camaraderie and perseverance. Given America’s divisive politics, viewers might marvel at what we can achieve with true cooperation—and a carousel.
The wooden horse has a long history, as in: it’s really ancient. While the ancient Greeks invented the Olympics, it was the Romans who invented a wooden horse that soldiers could use to practice getting on and off horses. The “wooden horse,” or the handle that gymnasts hold, gets its name from the Old French word for “round knob,” and is the same root as “pomme,” the French word for apple. It wasn’t until around 1908, about twelve years after the modern Olympics began, that the “jumping horse” finally became known as a “wooden horse.”
Only men’s gymnastics teams competed in this event. Women’s gymnasts competed in four events: floor, pommel horse, bars, and uneven bars. Men also competed in vault and floor, but were split on the other four events: parallel bars, uneven bars, rings, and vault. And while the U.S. women’s team clearly dominated their own events—they won the gold medal in the team final on Tuesday by nearly six points!—it was great to see Simone Biles Try riding the carousel one day, just to see what she can do.
