Breaking Paris 2024: Flawless Rhys McClenaghan delivers pommel horse gold

Rhys McClenaghan produced an outstanding routine to take gold on the pommel horse at Paris 2024.

In doing so, he brought home Ireland's third gold and sixth medal overall at these Games.

McClenaghan's score of 15.533 (difficulty 6.600 and execution 8.933), up from 15.200 in qualifying, saw him finish ahead of Nariman Kurbanov from Kazakhstan, who scored 15.434, with the USA's Stephen Nedoroscik third after his 15.300.

Going fourth, after Kurbanov had set a high bar with the opening routine, McClenaghan took to the pommel, all eyes on him in the deathly quiet Bercy Arena.

Upping his difficulty from last weekend's qualifying, McClenaghan lost none of his trademark cleanliness - his high execution score the key to victory.

As he dismounted the horse he emitted a huge roar of relief. The cheers of joy would have to wait until the next four gymnasts performed.

Nedoroscik was the most likely contender but the American could not match the scores of the County Down man or Kurbanov, and a third gold of the Games was claimed.

For 25-year-old McClenaghan, an Olympic gold adds to the two World and three European titles he has already won.

It also makes up for the disappointment of Tokyo 2020 when a mistake caused him to slip off the horse in the final.

"It feels like a dream, but a dream well earned," he told RTÉ Sport moments after being presented with his medal.

"I just can't believe it happened on this day. I always felt like it was going to happen but I wasn't sure when.

"Everybody at home, see this as an example: find a dream that you love, chase it and enjoy that journey.

"I could tell you if I fell on my bum today, I still would have loved this journey, every second of it and today I'm walking away with an Olympic gold medal."

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