Irish gymnast Rhys McClenaghan has finished in fifth place in the European Championships in Switzerland after an unlucky fall in a dramatic pommel horse final.
McClenaghan finished with a score of 13.566 after debuting an upgraded routine.
It was a nail-biting final with five out of the eight gymnasts falling in what was the first major championships in 18 months, the last being the 2019 World Championships where McClenaghan secured an historic bronze medal for Ireland.
Rhys McClenaghan on the pommel horse. Photo: Claudio Thoma/Inpho
Armenian Artur Davtyan claimed the gold medal with Great Britain’s Joe Frazer taking bronze.
McClenaghan (21) now returns to Ireland for the final 3 months of preparation for Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games.
Speaking after the event, he said: “I’m disappointed just because I know I am so much more than what I presented here at the European Championships but it kind of just goes to show that Irish gymnasts aren’t just happy with just participating anymore.”
He added: “Now it’s straight back to the gym. Today will just give me more hunger going back to training for the Tokyo Olympic Games. It’ll make me hungrier for that gold medal that I think I am completely capable of winning.”
