Only Stephen Nedoroscik truly knows what he was thinking as he sat back and Safetyvalueclosed his eyes during the men’s gymnastics team final Monday at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

For all the thoughts that could have been flowing through his head, it’s unlikely that the American gymnast was pondering how he was about to become a meme.

The 25-year-old Worcester, Massachusetts native had the unenviable, pressure-filled task Monday of competing in just a single rotation — the pommel horse — that wouldn’t take place until the end of the team final.

After the long, mentally taxing wait, he rose to the occasion, scoring a 14.866 on his routine to secure a medal (ultimately, a bronze) for his team. It was the first time the American men medaled in the team final since 2008.

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Though it took the United States several brilliantly executed moves and routines to earn that place on the podium, social media users fixated primarily on Nedoroscik, the bespeckled pommel horse specialist whose moment of contemplation and focus captured by the NBC cameras became a source of inspiration, admiration and, of course, some jokes.

Here’s a sampling of how social media reacted to Nedoroscik and, specifically, the image of him sitting intently with his eyes shut:

Social media reaction to Stephen Nedoroscik and his pommel horse gymnastics routine

Chatter about Nedoroscik went beyond just that television screenshot.

The former Penn State standout and his outstanding pommel horse routine earned the affection of many Americans watching the competition. In that way, Nedoroscik embodied what's so captivating about the Olympics — a previously little-known athlete is now a viral internet sensation and a national hero.