The dream that Rhys McClenaghan had been nurturing for the past ten years became reality in the Arena Bercy on a Saturday evening, marking a defining day in his life.
His unshakeable composure and lofty aspirations seamlessly converted into an impressive performance on the pommel horse – tranquillity personified in its execution, yet incredibly brilliant. It was indeed his finest routine to date, and rightfully so.
He has now joined the ranks as Ireland’s first gymnastics Olympic medalist.
Ronnie Delany once commented on destiny as understanding something unique about yourself that remains hidden from others. McClenaghan shared his destiny with one other person prior to following in Delany’s footsteps as the 11th Olympic victor from Ireland – his trainer, Luke Carson.
Together, McClenaghan and Carson crafted a decade-long strategy that aimed to peak his prowess by 2024.
Just as they had planned, it came to fruition. The 25-year-old from Newtownards stepped into the spotlight for his performance, next in line after the initial three out of the total eight finalists. McClenaghan utilised every bit of the strength, skillset and agility acquired over the past ten years into an impeccable 47-second routine. His score of 15.533 was sufficient to clinch the gold medal.
Following his dismount, McClenaghan’s victory moment was marked by an upward thrust of both arms, a whoop of adulation, a moment of self-reflection with his head in his hands, allowing the victorious feel to seep in, before finally hugging Carson.
“Back then, it was tough to imagine it as plausible, but we visualised a pathway,” McClenaghan reflected on the joint objective that they had set.
“Luke was clearly picturing the pathway. Not often have I heard him say ‘I believe this boy can be a world champion,’ but he said that for me. My gratitude towards Luke is immense. This, indeed, is our medal, and I am deeply honoured that it is so.”
Speaking about his success, McClenaghan said, “It seems surreal; it’s been the outcome of working tirelessly and I still find it hard to believe this is real.” He began that journey almost 10 years ago when he started training with Luke with the ultimate goal of winning an Olympic gold medal.
After his performance, McClenaghan found himself atop the podium with the Irish anthem playing – a historic first in the Olympic gymnastics venue. Overwhelmed with emotion, he shed tears of joy.
He candidly shared, “Granted I always sensed this day would come, the exact timeline was a mystery to me. I didn’t immediately realise I’d won upon landing, but I knew I’d performed to my best potential. I’d executed the most difficult routine I could for the day and that acknowledgment brought forth a surge of emotions.”
The competition was indeed tough. Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov opened the event and his stunningly soaring slow routine that garnered a score of 15.434. His performance was enough to secure him a silver medal.
Next up was Britain’s gymnast, Max Whitlock, 31. Despite a remarkable mid-routine handstand, his score of 15.000 was received with slight disappointment; he came in fourth. Whitlock was attempting to bag a third straight Olympic pommel horse gold medal to add to his accolades from Rio and Tokyo.
Following McClenaghan’s act was Stephen Nedoroscik, a 25-year-old from the US. The 2021 world champion’s unique one-handed twists wowed the judges mid-routine. However, his score of 15.300 wasn’t enough to outshine McClenaghan, leaving him in the third position.
Reflecting on his journey, McClenaghan mused, “I’ve often dreamt of scoring 15.5, yet oddly enough, never about winning. I’ve never been one to interpret dreams, though.”
During a particular point in that routine, there’s an almost unnoticeable pause where one must decide to either attempt the challenging manoeuvre near the finish or settle with the regular routine executed during qualifications. The latter would have guaranteed a 15.2 score. But I chose to push the limits, incorporated the new manoeuvre and it proved worthwhile as I attained a personal best score. Nothing more could be asked for.
Despite the implications of McClenaghan’s fall just 10 seconds into the Tokyo Olympic event, which resulted in his chest hitting the horse and his position dropping to seventh, no tears were shed.
At the following press conference, McClenaghan sat down and gazed at his medal with newfound admiration. The accolade, beautifully adorned with a piece of the Eiffel Tower, surpassed his expectations entirely. An avid lover of Paris and the Eiffel Tower, having a fragment of it attached to his gold medal felt serendipitous. The concept of it around his neck still seems surreal to him.
Seven years on from his first gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where he outshone Whitlock at 18, McClenaghan’s impressive collection now includes eight championship medals across the World Championship, the European games and the Commonwealth Games. Post-competition celebrations included his loved ones and his first beverage in more than half a year.
Every athlete holds unique narratives, but naturally, McClenaghan focuses on moulding his into the best possible version, regardless of the medals involved. The joy offered by the journey, the thrill of competing worldwide and the satisfaction from daily training never dwindles. Being a professional gymnast in itself is a dream come true.
Nonetheless, the pursuit of more medals remains a powerful motivation. After all, they encapsulate the sporting pinnacle they continually aspire to reach.
It was clearly conveyed by me, even post-Tokyo, that I was keen on savouring the path towards the peak. Regardless of not achieving that, my aim would have still been to motivate numerous individuals.