Stephen Nedoroscik, the ‘Pommel Horse Guy,’ Will Compete on ‘Dancing with the Stars’

Stephen Nedoroscik, the renowned American gymnast, has been disclosed as the first celebrity for Season 33 of the popular reality competition series, Dancing with the Stars (DWTS). The complete lineup of contestants will be revealed at a later date.

Returning for this season, Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough will co-host, while the familiar judging panel of Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough will be back to offer their critiques. The new season is set to commence on September 17 at 8 p.m., airing simultaneously on ABC and Disney+, with episodes available for next-day streaming on Hulu.

Nedoroscik, famously known as the “pommel horse guy,” won widespread acclaim during the 2024 Paris Olympics as a member of the U.S. Men’s Gymnastics team, which secured its first team medal (a bronze) in 16 years. At the same games, the 25-year-old gymnast also clinched an individual bronze medal on the pommel horse.

Beyond his athletic achievements, Nedoroscik is an advocate for those with low vision, as he himself lives with strabismus. His glasses-free appearance during the Olympics led to a flurry of social media memes, including a comparison to Clark Kent made by the official Olympics Twitter account, dubbing him “the Clark Kent of pommel horse.”

In a discussion with TODAY, Nedoroscik described his experience of competing without glasses. He noted that while his vision isn’t clear, keeping his glasses on during performances would risk them getting lost. He explained that his focus on the pommel horse relies on tactile feedback rather than visual clarity, emphasizing that his ability to feel the equipment is crucial to his performance.