Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 3 Aug 2024
IRISH GYMNAST RHYS McClenaghan has won a gold medal in the pommel horse final.
He scored a massive 15.533 to make history and claim gold.
McClenaghan is the first Irish gymnast to win a medal at the Olympic Games.
The Co Down athlete is a decorated gymnast and scooped back-to-back gold in the pommel horse at the 2022 and 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
In the final at the Tokyo Games three years ago, McClenaghan came off the pommel horse and this fault put him in seventh place.
However, he more than made up for that by taking gold in today’s final in the Bercy Arena at the Paris Games.
Some 65 gymnasts took part in the qualification round for the pommel horse last week and only eight advanced to today’s final, with McClenaghan qualifying in joint first place.
He said afterwards that he would wear this as a “badge of honour” into today’s showpiece.
Speaking to the BBC after scooping gold, McClenaghan described the final as a “dream come true”.
He added that it fulfills a plan that was devised when he was just 14.
“We set a long term plan at the age of 14 and my coach met with my mom and said, ‘you know, this kid could be the best in the world on the pommel horse’.
“And that plan developed and it came to fruition today.”
He also said he was “incredibly proud to make all of the Irish fans proud and to create history for the country” and that it was the “comeback I needed after Tokyo”.
“I want to go back into the gym right now and work on the improvements but my coach won’t let me probably, but that’s okay,” said McClenaghan.
“I think he’s right in this situation; we need to celebrate our Olympic title.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris meanwhile said “our hearts pumped while watching Rhys McClenaghan’s mesmerising performance”.
“Your determination and precision have been top class and you are so deserving of this gold medal,” he added.
Harris also said McClenaghan’s “journey to this Olympic medal has been nothing short of incredible” and that “we are all so proud of you”.
This latest medal is Ireland’s third gold and sixth medal overall in Paris 2024, an impressive haul for Team Ireland already.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Good lad, performed well under pressure
@Dermot Blaine: . Brilliant. He really nailed.. He’s endured setbacks and displayed great resilience. Delighted for him.
Looked cool, assured, and happy. Brilliant.
Team Ireland on fire! Can’t remember another time where we had so many medals and real prospects. It’s gonna be historic!
@Hibernicus: Sure is.. fantastic showing at this Olympics.. Is it just me/my telly.. or is the flag they’re using at all the medal ceremonies (never thought I’d type that) more green white and yelowie than orange ??
@Brian: no it’s just really really really really light orange, they’re having us on father.
@CP: in France, when our neighbours win a medal, sometimes they show a Union Jack underneath ‘united kingdom’, and sometimes they show an English St Georges cross underneath ‘great britain’ ??? Flegs huh ..
@offside again: Those Protestants, up to no good as usual.
Well done Rhys and Team Ireland!
A class act
Fair play to them all. Really doing us proud.
Omg so nervous well done you beauty
Congratulations Rhys.
A top class champion .Well done.
Irish national anthem at this event amazing words cannot describe it.
Love love love local.
Brilliant!! #COYBIG!! And a fantastic 10th for Ben Healy in the roadrace! WELL DONE, BEN!!
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Ben was,awesome, lit up the whole race
@Dermot Blaine: He was AMAZING!
Another day and another gold medal. Things you love to see!
Rhys phenomenal sublime your country is ours
Begrudging beware
Stay on topic
@Phillip Smyth:
Ireland’s third Gold Medal
@Dermot: What? No way. Let me check….one, two….three! Feck, you’re right!
Hands of steel!
It Was the best ride of his life…
Well done Rhys..
@Gemma Sexton: lol it was
@Gemma Sexton: sure was
@Gemma Sexton: Tell us about yours Gemma??????
Well done to this young man,amazing achievement,great results for our little island of Ireland.
Gardai are introducing the pommel horse as the new Drink driving test- do a minute without falling off and you’re grand!
@John arse: Brilliant.
I wouldn’t be able to get up on it.
Brilliant. Well done.
It bits here watching if in Yorkshire.
A class act ryhs well done !!
Fantastic achievement. Well done fella !
Congratulations, pull like a Horse
The North of Ireland separatist will claim his as one of theirs. The BBC too.
@Lucy Thomas: So what
Northies are showing us up.
@Pat Barry: They are us. We are them. You’re a perfect example of a partitionist mindset.
@Pat Barry: how bad lol
@Pat Barry: Didn’t take long for the first g0wl to come along
@Anthony Curran: North of Ireland, England, India, Northies, Northerners, whatever, a third of them are a long way from us anyway.
@brendan hackett: Gowl is a specific term to NI, I’m not from there.
@Pat Barry: I have absolutely no idea what you’re on about. I’m sure I’m not the only one either. Just try to enjoy the lad’s win without bitterness.
@Anthony Curran: Lol, I’m delighted with all these Northern medals, hope Daniel scores another tomorrow night, it would be absolutely epic, not to mention prevailing in the 10k marathon to boot.
Ah bollox,just fell off the breakfast bar!!!
@John arse: More chalk on your hands!
Another medal for NI. Well done team GB
@James King: Team GB did actually win this event in 2020, and with a bigger score.
@James King: Get to Specsavers lad.
have your say