Old Salty Dog welcomes surprise Olympian guest

By Dana Kampa
| 2:15 p.m. February 9, 2026

Longboat Key
Neighbors

Staff at the Old Salty Dog City Island said you never know who will pop into the restaurant on Sarasota Bay. That proved true recently, when United States Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik stopped in and snapped a photo with the team.

The team at Old Salty Dog City Island were recently surprised with a visit from one of the United States' well-known Olympians. Morgan Swartz and Belle McHugh snapped a photo with pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik. — Old Salty Dog City Island's Morgan Swartz and Belle McHugh snapped a photo with pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik.

Nedoroscik earned the affectionate nickname "Pommel Horse Guy" as he rose in recognition for his gymnastic specialty during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

He earned two bronze medals for the U.S. and reached even more viewers in his follow-up performance on "Dancing with the Stars." The four-time U.S. champion is training with EVO Gymnastics and reportedly eyeing a run at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The restaurant shared the group photo on Jan. 27 in celebration of the "Hometown Hero." Manager Amy Blair said the staff was glad Nedoroscik paid a visit even with the chilly weather.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.