Sports
Stephen Nedoroscik's legend grows with Olympic bronze on pommel horse
PARIS — Aptly, he tucked an American flag into the back of his sweatshirt collar, turning the stars and stripes into a cape. Stephen Nedoroscik is, after all, America’s new favorite superhero.
A star crafted straight out of the Olympic script, Nedoroscik stars on a piece of equipment that the average sports fan has no earthly idea how to determine a good routine from a bad one. He wears glasses because of a congenital eye disease that renders his eyes permanently dilated, solves Rubik’s Cubes for relaxation, eats exactly six pieces of green apple and a chocolate muffin on competition days, and laughs like something straight out of “Beavis and Butt-Head.”
When he sat down at the dais for his news conference after securing a second bronze medal, Nedoroscik took the index finger of his right hand and pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. The only thing missing from central casting — a piece of tape to hold them together.
But when Nedoroscik swings on the pommel horse, flying through a routine that is obviously complex enough that even the gymnastics novices would know that it’s good, he is Clark Kent post phone booth, his glasses shed and his entire being transformed.
Stephen Nedoroscik finishes his pommel horse routine in the final and the crowd goes WILD! 👏 #ParisOlympics
📺 E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/JbCPmqNJA7
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
Six nights ago, Nedoroscik nailed his routine — the very last of the night — to assure the United States its first team medal in men’s gymnastics in 16 years. On Monday, he spent the evening screaming for his teammates, cupping his mouth with his hands to make sure his support was heard. But on Saturday night, Nedoroscik sat at the end of the competition area alone. His head cast downward, staring at the floor, he didn’t so much as glance over as the first four gymnasts performed, let alone glance at the scoreboard.
In a script flip from the team final, Nedoroscik went smack dab in the middle, fifth out of eight gymnasts. He nailed a 15.300, slotting him in third place. Instead of waiting to compete, he had to wait to ensure he got on the podium. When South Korea’s Hur Woong fell off the apparatus, securing the bronze, Nedoroscik thrust his hands into the air, to the delight of the crowd.
“It’s definitely not the best scenario to be in, when there’s a few more gymnasts to go and you’re sitting in third,’’ Nedoroscik said. “It’s a little bit of a nail-biter, but I was confident that my score was maybe good enough to hold.’’
It is that confidence that maybe has been unappreciated in this whole nerd-to-champion run. Nedoroscik did not happen onto the Olympic stage accidentally. He is a 2021 World Champion and a two-time NCAA Champion. He was intentionally put on the U.S. squad to ensure a better team score. Men’s gymnastics purposefully opted away from the more subjective selection process that the women used, opting instead to run the numbers and see what spits out the best score. In every scenario, adding Nedoroscik made sense.
But let’s be serious. No one cares about any of that. The joy of the Olympics comes as much from the unexpected as the impressive. Simone Biles, who secured her seventh gold medal just a few minutes before Nedoroscik competed, is inevitable. Nedoroscik is Everyman, relatable thanks to his ordinariness outside of his pommel horse extraordinariness. He is not someone that you would stop and stare at if he were to walk down the street; he does not scream Olympic athlete.
And so when he of all people became an Olympic hero, he walked straight into the vortex of American fame, an underdog turned into a champion, winning one for the U.S. of A. Nedoroscik exploded as only one can in today’s social media world. His is now a face that launched a thousand memes, plenty Nedoroscik has seen himself. An eyewear company, eyebobs, cleverly launched a marketing campaign around his specs, renaming — or reframing as it were — one of their designs into “the Stephen.’’ At 11:16 a.m, ET, the time Nedoroscik was slated to compete, people could try to claim a free pair. The New York Post’s Page Six and US Weekly did a blurb about his girlfriend.
Nedorosock has been both delightfully amused by all of it — “Really? She was? I didn’t know that,’’ Nedoroscik said about the insta-fame of Tess McCracken, his girlfriend. “Go Tess,’’ — and delightfully amusing. Asked who was the most famous person to reach out to him on social media, Nedoroscik said, “The guy that wrote “Fault in Our Stars” tweeted about me. That was insane.’’ That would be John Green, author of the melodrama about two terminally ill teenagers.
But he also knew that, despite what people said about him after the team final, he did not just have one job to do; he had two. He wanted an event final medal as well, and the competition, he knew would be fierce. Rhys McClenaghan, who would win the gold for Ireland, is a two-time World Champion; Max Whitlock, from Great Britain, won the last two Olympic medals on pommel horse, and the gap between first and sixth in qualifying was as measly .200.
So after enjoying his 15 minutes of fame for a handful of days, Nedoroscik purposefully turned off his notifications. He wanted to quiet the noise. Nedoroscik owns an electrical engineering degree from Penn State and his coach, Randy Jespon, told The Athletic that he’s extremely analytical. He likes routine, and so in an Olympic village devoid of his teammates, who already finished competing, he hunkered down. He tinkered with his Rubik’s Cube, trying to beat his under-10-second goal. He listened to music. He ate his apples and his muffin.
Nedoroscik tinkered with changing his routine, maybe adding difficulty in response to the talented field. He tried a few alternatives, but didn’t like how they felt, and as he said after the team final, his routine is “all by feel.’’
So he went with what felt right.
There is no arguing that Nedoroscik would have loved a gold; the U.S. hasn’t won one in an individual event since 1984. But when the moderator at the post-meet news conference introduced McClenaghan explaining that it was Ireland’s first Olympic medal in gymnastics, the true to his nature Nedoroscik raised his eyebrows. “Dude, that is soooo cool,’’ he said, reaching over to give the Irishman a bro handshake.
The two exchange challenges, each referencing Los Angeles. Later Nedoroscik confirmed his future plans with no hesitation. “I’m definitely running it back in 2028,’’ he said. But that is for another day.
In the immediate, Nedoroscik was looking forward to reconnecting with his family, turning his notifications back on and resting his weary body. Even superheroes, after all, need a break.
Required reading
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
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New details have emerged surrounding the arrest of former Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who is facing two misdemeanor charges following a run-in with law enforcement just days ahead of the NFL Draft.
Branch, who is a projected second-round pick, was arrested early Sunday morning in Athens, Georgia, and charged with two counts of obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Nov. 28, 2025. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)
He was released after more than two hours in jail after posting $39 in bonds.
The NFL Network obtained the police report from Branch’s arrest, which described an encounter over an alleged sidewalk incident with law enforcement, in which police alleged that the former Bulldogs star failed “to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands.”
“A male, later identified as Zacharia Branch, continued to stand on the sidewalk without making an attempt to move. I continued to give Zacharia Branch verbal commands to move from blocking the sidewalk and advised that if he did not, he would receive a citation for blocking the sidewalk,” the excerpt from the report read.
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch runs during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
TOP NFL DRAFT PICK ZACHARIAH BRANCH ARRESTED IN GEORGIA ON TWO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES
“Zacharia Branch smirked, then stepped backwards and to the right, then remained standing upon the public sidewalk, so as to obstruct, hinder, and impede free passage upon the sidewalk as well as impede free ingress/egress to or from the adjacent places of business,” the report continued.
“Due to those actions and Zacharia Branch’s failure to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands, he was placed under arrest for misdemeanor Obstruction of LEO and received a citation for Obstructing Public Sidewalks.”
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates with wide receiver Colbie Young after scoring a touchdown against Ole Miss during the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 1, 2026. (IMAGN)
Branch transferred after two seasons at Southern California and immediately became quarterback Gunner Stockton’s favorite target. He finished the season with a team-high 811 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.
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His status as a projected second-round pick was bolstered after an impressive showing at the combine, where he clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash.
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For two-thirds of Sunday’s Long Beach Grand Prix, Alex Palou bided his time … waiting for the one break he needed.
It came in the form of a caution on the 58th lap, allowing him to overtake front-runner Felix Rosenqvist exiting pit lane and hold the lead the rest of the way, taking the checkered flag by 3.96 seconds for his third triumph in five IndyCar Series races this season and his first at Long Beach.
Right after being showered with applause and confetti at victory lane, the 29-year-old Spaniard thanked his crew, whose quick work on the last pit stop proved to be the difference.
“Everyone was coming in on that yellow and they did an incredible job,” he said. “We were either going to win it or not win right there.”
Rosenqvist settled for second and Scott Dixon, Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, was third.
It was the 11th win over the last 22 races dating to 2024 for the Barcelona native and the 22nd win of his career, tying Tony Bettenhausen and Emerson Fittipaldi. It also vaulted Palou to the top of the series standings as he chases his fourth series championship in a row and fifth overall. Palou won the opener March 1 in St. Petersburg (also a street course) and the fourth race March 29 in Alabama.
Palou led for only 32 of the 90 laps Sunday and acknowledged it would have been difficult to catch Rosenqvist if not for the stoppage.
“I wasn’t giving up but it would’ve been tough to get him today,” Palou acknowledged. “He was already three seconds ahead. I was happy with my car but I was struggling more on the soft tires than the hards so I’d say my chances were low. The feeling was great seeing all the open space coming out of pit lane because when you spend 60 laps behind a car it disturbs you. I tried to match him on soft tires but it wasn’t working.”
Alex Palou speeds through a curve of the track.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
In six starts at Long Beach, Palou never has finished lower than fifth.
There is little room to maneuver on the 1.968-mile course with 11 tight turns, but after starting in the third position next to defending champion Kyle Kirkwood, Palou managed to sneak past Pato O’Ward into second place heading into the first turn on Lap 2.
“Making that move on the straightaway was big because I knew it was one of our only chances to get a pass on Pato,” Palou said. “I got that good run on that last corner and he didn’t expect it.”
This year marked the 51st edition of the longest-running major street race in North America, which started in 1975 as part of the Formula 5000 Series, switched to the CART/Champ Car World Series in 1984 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2009.
The top four qualifiers started on softer, high-grip “alternate” tires to establish position while the rest of the grid started on harder, more durable “primaries” to manage degradation on the 110-degree track surface. Of the 25 starters, 24 completed the 177.12 miles.
“We were going to make the two-stop strategy work but didn’t know if it would be doable or not,” Palou added. “As soon as I saw I couldn’t get Felix it was all about patience, fuel and waiting for the right time. I owe this win to my team. Without that pit stop I probably wouldn’t be sitting here now. It only takes one mistake to go from second to seventh, but they’re great under pressure.”
Cars make their way down a straightaway during Long Beach Grand Prix.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Past winners Will Power and Josef Newgarden moved into the top two positions after Rosenqvist pitted, but the Swede regained the lead when Newgarden pitted for the first time on Lap 37 and dropped back to 14th.
The first 45 laps were caution-free as Rosenqvist, Palou, Kirkwood, David Malukas and O’Ward held the top five spots. Newgarden’s chances declined upon discovering a flat spot on his left front tire, and he dropped back to 14th.
Rosenqvist’s three-second lead was erased when debris on the track exiting the Aquarium Fountain drew the only yellow flag all afternoon and narrowed the gap. Capitalizing on favorable pit position, Palou emerged from the lane just ahead of Rosenqvist.
Rosenqvist. who won the pole position with a lap time of 1 minute 7.4625 seconds in qualifying, had mixed emotions as the runner-up after leading for 51 laps with no win to show for it.
“You want to win when you have an opportunity, but I’m proud of today,” Rosenqvist said.
“We weren’t as good as Alex on the blacks … the last pit cycle was the defining moment. We had to come around 14, he had more of an opening, and his crew nailed it. That happens.”
Kirkwood, who was vying for his third win in four years, finished right where he started in fourth.
“I had a good cushion and figured even with a bad stop I’d probably stay ahead but I knew there’d probably be a yellow at some point and there it came,” Rosenqvist lamented. “Considering Alex had primary [tires], also I think we would’ve been able to hold him off. It’s definitely disappointing when you can’t wrap it up.”
Dixon, who started in the sixth position, was third and earned his first podium this season and the 136th of his career.
Fans watch with two laps left in the race.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
“The race itself was a bit blah — I sat in the same position for most of it,” Dixon said. “Luckily for us we had it easy out of that last stop.”
Al Unser Jr. holds the record for most wins at Long Beach, chalking up six in eight years, including an unmatched four in a row from 1988 to 1991.
Tom Sargent is becoming a fan of street circuits after two wins this weekend. Driving the Porsche 911 Cup for GMG Racing in the Mobil Pro Class, the 22-year-old Australian led from start to finish in Race 1 of the Carrera Cup North America on Saturday. In Race 2 on Sunday morning, he again started from the pole and claimed a 0.965-second victory over Aaron Jeansonne to complete the double.
In his last bid at Long Beach three years ago, he hit the wall on Lap 2 but still finished second.
“Momentum in sports is critical and the past few weeks have been really cool for me,” Sargent said. “I didn’t do any street circuit racing before I came to the States. Maybe it fits my driving style.”
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LAS VEGAS – Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.
As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.
Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.
JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.
The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.
Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.
As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.
Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.
Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.
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