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Rhys McClenaghan said he had achieved a “lifelong dream” after winning pommel horse gold at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, giving Ireland its first ever Olympic gymnastics medal.
The double world champion made history for his home country by defeating Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov by a narrow margin of 0.100 points, with Stephen Nedoroschik of the United States taking bronze.
Britain’s most outstanding gymnast Max Whitlock only finished fourth, failing to put a perfect end to his brilliant Olympic career.
McClanahan was thrilled after his 60-second performance, in which he performed a Russian loop, a scissors and a handstand perfectly, finishing with a perfect dismount on his feet.
“I have so many thoughts in my head,” said the 25-year-old from Northern Ireland.
“I am living out a lifelong dream here. I can’t believe this is actually happening. I always felt it would happen, I just wasn’t sure when.”
McClenaghan topped the qualifying round and with two world titles under his belt was the favourite to win the eight-man final.
But he also had to deal with enormous pressure because he fell off the apparatus and finished seventh due to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he was not going to let this second chance to etch his name into the Irish sporting register fail.
In the end, he stood on the top of the podium with a score of 15.533, and he shed tears of joy as he listened to the Irish national anthem “Amhran na bhFiann” and the large number of supporters in the stands of the Bassey Stadium proudly waving the green, white and orange flags.
– ‘I feel great’ –
Kurbanov performed first and set a high score of 15.433 points.
Next up is Whitlock, who won gold at both Tokyo and Rio and bronze at London 2012, seeking an unprecedented fourth medal on the same apparatus.
The 31-year-old had a strong run in the Olympic final, finishing third behind McClenaghan and Kurbanov until Nedoroschik won the podium by 0.100 points.
Nedoroske is a member of the U.S. gymnastics team—the pommel horse is his only specialty.
When he was a kid, his father bought him an old 1980s car at an auction, and from that moment on, he was hooked.
“If you only play one event, you don’t get a chance to try the others. You just go out there and swing. But I’ve been doing it for eight years as a pro, so really testing the waters. I feel great,” said the Massachusetts native.
He had the same score as McClenaghan in the qualifying round, meaning Ireland’s third gold medallist of the 2024 Olympics must wait nervously to see if his American title rival will make his way into his group.
He said he purposely didn’t watch the actors performing after him, but that didn’t take away his nerves.
“I was nervous. I’m nervous going into any competition. I’m nervous every practice. I feel like the pressure on my shoulders is pushing me every day. That’s what led to this.”
So, what are the immediate prospects for this new Kurama prince?
“I want to see my friends and family. Maybe live a normal life for a few months, but I’m also looking forward to returning,” he said.
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