A surprise viral hit out of the 2024 Paris Olympics in gymnastics isn't actually Simone Biles this time around, as plenty of people already know to expect greatness (and perhaps some snark) from her. No, the Olympian who has stolen the hearts of unsuspecting viewers everywhere is pommel horse hero Stephen Nedoroscik, who helped clinch a medal for the U.S. men's gymnastics team. Now, the athlete has explained one of his habits that fans may have noticed on screen, and the story is quite touching.
Stephen Nedoroscik has been noticed frequently touching his ear when he's on camera for the Olympics, and it turns out that it's not a nervous habit or superstition. Speaking with The Today Show, he explained:
This right here is for my dad's father. My Dziadek, that means grandfather in Polish. He passed away last year, unfortunately. Very long life. Lived to be 94. He was a World War 2 vet, and my idol. His name is Stephen John Nedoroscik, just like me. I'm named after him, and back when I was at Penn State, that was the thing that I did whenever I was on TV to say 'Hey Dziadek.' So I've kept the tradition up and now it also means 'hey' to everyone that I love.
How sweet is that? Viewers of the outstanding men's team gymnastics event probably noticed Nedoroscik putting on his game face as soon as he removed his glasses – in a move worthy of Clark Kent – to approach the pommel horse, but there was no way of knowing the sweet story behind the ear tug. If you haven't caught the moment for yourself, you can spot it just before the 3-minute mark in the clip of his routine in the Olympics qualifying round, when he glances at the camera then pulls on his ear.
His explanation of his habit is honestly so endearing that it deserves to be seen as well as read. Take a look below:
Stephen Nedoroscik went viral for a number of reasons, ranging from his bespectacled look to the fact that he had to just hang around the team event all day while waiting for his one and only event as a specialist in pommel horse. He had to deliver on the apparatus for the United States men's gymnastics team to be guaranteed their first medal in sixteen years, and they ultimately won the bronze. Like with what happened with the U.S. women's rugby team's historic medal win, getting a bronze instead of gold or silver doesn't have to make an experience less meaningful.
The American men's team wasn't quite as successful in the individual all-around event, with some mistakes costing Frederick Richard and Paul Juda a shot at the podium. Stephen Nedoroscik does have one more moment in the spotlight, however, as the pommel horse finals aren't scheduled until Saturday, August 3 following the women's vault final and the men's floor exercise final. I think it's safe to say that Nedoroscik is going to have an extremely vocal cheering section this weekend!
If you want to revisit some of the earlier gymnastics events or others from the 2024 Paris Olympics so far, you can find plenty of options streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. Primetime coverage on NBC continues as well, although generally not live due to the time zone differences between France and the United States.
