Olympic gymnast visits patients at UCHealth Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Stephen Nedoroscik, the U.S. Olympian affectionately dubbed the “Pommel Horse Guy” during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, spent the weekend in Colorado Springs, meeting fans at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum before visiting patients and staff at UCHealth Memorial Hospital.
The two-time bronze medalist, who helped the U.S. men’s gymnastics team snap a 16-year Olympic medal drought in Paris, spent Saturday afternoon moving from room to room at the hospital, shaking hands, posing for photos, and chatting with patients and caregivers.
“When you're in a hospital, you can feel kind of trapped or lonely, so being able to spread a little bit of light into what, for some of these people, might be a dark time, is really meaningful,” Nedoroscik said.
UCHealth says he also brought along another crowd-pleasing skill – speedcubing! During his visit, Nedoroscik solved Rubik’s Cubes in seconds before signing each one for patients to keep. He said he got into speedcubing after being gifted a Rubik's Cube for Christmas at age 13. Fourteen years later, he's gotten his record down to 7.5 seconds.
That same focus and precision have carried over to his gymnastics career. In 2024, Nedoroscik played a pivotal role in helping the U.S. men's team clinch bronze before winning an individual bronze in the pommel horse final. Since the Games, Nedoroscik has received plenty of national attention, including his appearance in season 33 of Dancing with the Stars.
UCHealth Memorial wasn't his only stop in Colorado Springs on Saturday – earlier in the day, he also swung by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum for an Athlete Meet and Greet, where fans had the chance to hear about his journey to the Olympic podium and his transition from elite competition to life beyond the Games.
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