FORT WORTH, Texas – It was a win-win weekend for former Penn State great Stephen Nedoroscik at the U.S. Men's Gymnastics Championships. He won his first career U.S. title on pommel horse, scoring 15.1 in each of his routines on Thursday and Saturday. Those scores also qualified him for the Olympic Trials in St. Louis on June 21-27.
Nedoroscik's two-routine total of 30.2 bested runner-up Alec Yoder's total of 30.05 with scores of 15.0 and 15.05. He posted the best two scores on any apparatus in the entire meet.
"Coming into this meet there was a lot of pressure. It's a very important meet to me. There was a lot on the line," Nedoroscik said. "The last few weeks of workouts haven't been the best, but I was able to get here and change my mindset completely. I was able to go from almost dreading this competition because of how poor I was doing in the gym to someone that was confident and feeling myself out there. I was able to find my zone and stay in it."
It is the second time Nedoroscik has medaled at the U.S. Championships. He took silver in 2019.
"Stephen was ready and poised tonight and put in a great routine to get the title and earn a bid to the Olympic Trials," Penn State head coach Randy Jepson said following the final day of competition. "We're thrilled that he was able to rise to the occasion the way that he did."
Meanwhile, over 5,000 miles away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Paul Juda finished second all-around at the Pan American Championships, earning the United States an additional spot at the 2021 Olympics and keeping Nedoroscik's Olympic hopes alive.
That makes the Olympic Trials competition even more meaningful for the best pommel horse gymnast in the country.
"We have a really great plan heading into the next competition. The way that my gymnastics trajectory is going, I think I'm going to be able to do a really great job at the Trials," Nedoroscik said.
