Newtownards star Rhys McClenaghan is an Olympic champion as he picked up Northern Ireland’s fourth medal of the Paris Games by winning the pommel horse competition.
The 25-year-old produced a near flawless display to hold off shock silver medallist Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan and two-time defending champion Max Whitlock and secure his first Olympic medal having finished seventh in Tokyo.
McClenaghan performed fourth and knew he would have to score well as Kurbanov, performing first, set the target with a stunning performance with a score of 15.433, with Whitlock performing second but unable to match the Kazakh, scoring 15.200.
But McClenaghan showed the supreme talent that means he is the defending world and European champion, swallowing the pressure to produce a routine that scored 15.533, enough to secure Ireland’s first ever artistic gymnastics gold medal.
With his victory, Northern Ireland have now won four gold medals at this year’s Olympics which eclipses their total for every other Games combined, McClenaghan following in the footsteps of swimmers Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan and rower Hannah Scott.
Kurbanov’s routine was enough to bring home the silver for Kazakhstan, with the USA’s Stephen Nedoroscik scoring 15.300 to take bronze.
More to follow…