Magnificent McClenaghan completes gymnastics ’Grand Slam’

The Prince of Pommel has become the King.

Rhys McClenaghan completed the gymnastics ‘Grand Slam’ with a magnificent routine in the Olympic final worthy of the gold medal.

Olympic champion, two-time world champion, three-time European champion and Commonwealth champion – McClenaghan has cemented his place as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

The Newtownards gymnast, now one of Northern Ireland’s most successful athletes of all time, has often talked about reaching the top of the mountain.

In Paris, he ascended to the summit in what he called “the greatest pommel horse final in the history of gymnastics, ever.”

McClenaghan’s journey to the ultimate prize is just over a decade in the making, starting from the moment his mum, Tracey, went searching for a new coach and found former international gymnast Luke Carson.

“We set a long-term plan at the age of 14. My coach met with my mum and said ‘this kid could be the best in the world on the pommel horse’,” explained McClenaghan.

As a junior he finished third behind Max Whitlock and Louis Smith at the British Championships.

Smith, who was in Paris to see his friend win the gold, was an inspirational role model for McClenaghan.

“One of my favourite Olympic moments was watching Louis perform his routine in London. I was at the opening ceremony and I saw all the posters of him all over the city and it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

“This felt like my Louis Smith London 2012 moment. I was the reigning world champion and could win Ireland’s first ever gymnastics medal.

“That’s why the emotions came out, because I’d done my job under all that pressure.”

The Commonwealth Games title and first European win came in 2018 and when the delayed Tokyo Olympics arrived three years later he was among the favourites.

That day, it didn’t happen for McClenaghan.

However, since then he has dominated the world with a pair of global and continental titles.

“It’s a crazy journey. All athletes have their own story. Of course, I am paying close attention to my own story but I’m going to write it in the happiest fashion that I can possibly make it.

“That journey isn’t medal-dependant. It is enjoying the journey, enjoying going to competitions around the world, enjoying going to training every day, having gymnastics as my job – it never gets old even just saying that.

“That in itself is a lifelong dream and something I dreamt of when I was in school.

“Literally daydreaming in classes about gymnastics routines.

“So the fact is, that is what I do, that is me, I am a professional gymnast and that is already a win.

“Yes, the medals are the driving force. That is the pinnacle of our sport and I’m always working towards that, but I made it very apparent after Tokyo that I wanted to enjoy that journey to the top of that mountain.

“Even if I didn’t walk away with a medal today I would have a lifetime of experience, a lifetime of wins and losses, but today was a win.”

For the first time, there were three current world champions from Northern Ireland competing at an Olympic Games.

All three – McClenaghan, Hannah Scott and Daniel Wiffen – have become Olympic champions in the space of just five days for what has arguably been the greatest week of sport in Northern Ireland’s history.

“It is remarkable,” McClenaghan added. “It makes me incredibly proud to come from Northern Ireland and bring home this medal.

“It’s the first gold medal for Newtownards in the Olympics, so I hope I’ve made everyone back home proud.”