'It's a badge of honour' - McClenaghan tops pommel horse qualifying

If there were any Olympics ghosts lingering for Rhys McClenaghan, he certainly didn't show it as he qualified for the pommel horse final in first position.

At the 2021 Games in Tokyo, McClenaghan's Olympic dream ended when a mistake in his final routine left him in seventh place.

But in the three years since, the 25-year-old from Northern Ireland has gone from strength to strength.

He became a double world champion and has three European golds in his collection.

Now he feels it is time for Olympic gold - the biggest prize of all. Saturday's qualification only added to that belief.

"That's just a badge of honour to qualify for an Olympic final in first place," McClenaghan said.

"That's something I am super proud to say, but we have to do the job again on Saturday.

"I'm hopefully going to enjoy every second of it. I'm at the top of the mountain, and now it's time just to enjoy that view."

McClenaghan had to wait until the last session of the day to perform in Paris, and he didn't step foot in the field of play until the fifth rotation of sixth.

He was calm and collected ahead of his routine, going through every swivel and move in his head under the watchful eye of his long-time coach Luke Carson.

When his time came, McClenaghan was almost flawless. In fact, a telling nod of his head when he dismounted meant you knew what was coming on the scoring.

His tally of 15.200 left him level with the USA's Stephen Nedoroscik at the top of the standings, with reigning Olympic champion Max Whitlock narrowly behind.

When it came to feeling the pressure, McClenaghan said it was "no more than usual".

"I'm very pleased. We got the job done. I'm in the pommel horse final at the Olympics for the second time, and that's a very proud statement.

"I put pressure on myself every day in training. It's the same today, it's another training session."

If the scores in the final were as they were in qualifying, McClenaghan would take gold ahead of Nedoroscik on his higher execution score - 8.900 to the American's 8.800.

But the scores are reset on Saturday, and everyone will raise their game. There is nothing won yet.

McClenaghan said there is room to improve, saying "we can upgrade the routine, upgrade that difficulty".

He isn't even focused on his opposition, stating it's "me against me in this world".

The last Olympic gold medallist from Northern Ireland came at the 1988 Olympics when Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood won hockey gold with Team GB.

For the last individual gold, you have to go all the way back to Lady Mary Peters in 1972.

In terms of the expectation that will only grow following his qualifying performance, McClenaghan said "I'm managing it, that's all I can say".

"I know what I need to do. I don't even need to think about the podium, or think about the Olympic Games.

"What I need to do is my job, and that is doing a clean pommel horse routine."

Before these Games, McClenaghan said he wanted to be the best of all time on the pommel horse as he chases gymnastics' 'Grand Slam'.

Now his dream is one step closer.