A young gymnast from Rancho Santa Margarita has become more proud of his not-so-perfect vision after seeing USA Men’s Gymnastics Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik sporting his glasses before performing his viral pommel horse routine.
Stephen Nedoroscik became an overnight sensation when he propelled his team to a bronze medal in the men’s gymnastics all-around team event and earned another bronze in the pommel horse. Just prior to starting his routine, he carefully removed his glasses and set them aside.
When his glasses came off, his skills turned on.
17-year-old gymnast Noah Tung saw himself in Nedoroscik as he wore glasses and they are both experts on the pommel horse.
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“I think it’s hilarious. I love the attention he’s getting — I think he deserves it,” Tung said.
Tung, who started gymnastics at 5 years old, began following Nedoroscik’s Olympic journey about a year ago.
“I feel like I was competing. I felt like Stephen,” the Rancho Santa Margarita teen added.
The similarities don’t stop with the sport and the spectacles: Tung is also a Rubik’s Cube enthusiast like his pommel horse hero. He says this helps him with the analytical part of gymnastics.
“I just love all the ways you can analyze your routines and almost every single detail in your training comes into not only your daily life – but your routine in general,” he explained.
Tung says he just started wearing contacts while competing a few weeks ago, so he’s used to depending on his sense of touch. Nedoroscik has described doing the same.
Tung added that he’s also been inspired by other Olympians, like Brazilian gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, who has to put on her glasses to see the scoreboard.
“I think it’s great – Stephen has been such an awesome ambassador in this sport. I think it's cool for these younger athletes to see somebody – who is very much so into their own things outside of gymnasts as well,” CEO of Scats Gymnastics Dave Peters said, referring to Nedoroscik’s love of the Rubik’s Cube.
As for Tung’s vision for the future: he has his eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
