'Olympic gold only thing missing' - Victorious Rhys McClenaghan returns home

Ireland's world champion gymnast Rhys McClenaghan said an Olympic gold medal was "the only thing missing from my collection" upon returning to Dublin Airport after his stunning performance in Liverpool at the weekend.

The Newtownards native became Ireland's first world champion in gymnastics after a clean and impressive pommel horse routine, setting a score of 15.300 and eclipsing the rest of the field.

Overcome with emotion and finding it difficult to speak in the immediate aftermath of victory on Saturday, Ireland's new world champion was in more loquacious mood on arriving back in Dublin airport on Monday afternoon.

"It feels like the start of a new chapter," McClenaghan told RTÉ Sport at the airport.

"I'm now the world champion. It sets a really exciting precedent for the future.

"That Olympic gold medal is the only thing missing from my collection now. My eyes are on that.

"I'll cope with [the pressure] like any other competition. I put a huge amount of pressure on myself in training and competition so I'm used to it. I feel like I'm almost maxed out in the amount of pressure I can put on my shoulders.

"That's certainly my target and I'll make sure I do everything I can to meet that target."

The 23-year-old said he was particularly conscious of the support from back home in the arena in Liverpool.

"To have the Irish support out there in Liverpool and coming back home of course, it means the world to me," he said.

"I was very aware of the Irish support. It's hard not to pay attention to it. It's absolutely amazing. To see all those Irish flags around that arena in Liverpool was an incredible experience.

"When I hear my name next to the title world champion, it's still hard to fathom."

McClenaghan suffered heartache at the Tokyo