Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik, ‘Pommel Horse Guy,’ Joins Dancing With the Stars

Stephen Nedoroscik, affectionately known online as “Pommel Horse Guy,” is set to compete for the Mirrorball Trophy on Season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars.”

The Olympic bronze medalist is the first celebrity contestant revealed for the upcoming season of the popular dancing series. The rest of the competitors will be announced in the coming month, leading up to the season premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

“From Paris to DWTS! We’re thrilled to welcome pommel horse legend Stephen Nedoroscik as the first star of the season,” stated the official “Dancing With the Stars” Instagram post on Thursday.

Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro will return as co-hosts for the show. Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli are also set to return as judges.

Nedoroscik, a 25-year-old gymnast, captured many fans’ hearts during the Paris Olympics. His transformation from a bespectacled sideliner to a bronze-winning athlete drew comparisons to Superman. This led to him becoming a viral sensation, with over 47 million TikToks about him. USA Gymnastics has nicknamed him “Super Steve.”

In response to his sudden fame, Nedoroscik expressed his amusement with the memes, saying, “I’m representing people that wear glasses well.”

Nedoroscik suffers from strabismus, a condition causing crossed eyes and blurred vision, as per the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He prefers to remove his glasses before competing on the pommel horse to prevent them from flying off and because the sport relies heavily on feeling the equipment. “When I go up on the pommel horse, it’s all about feeling the equipment. I don’t even really see when I’m doing my gymnastics. It’s all in the hands — I can feel everything,” he explained.

Season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars” will premiere live on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m. MDT. Episodes will be recorded and available the following day on Hulu.

Source: ABC, Disney+, USA Gymnastics