Rhys McClenaghan
Gymnastics
BIOGRAPHY
Rhys started gymnastics when he was aged six with Rathgael GC and trained at the National Gymnastics Training Centre in Dublin from 2018 to 2023 but has trained at home, in Origins Gymnastics Centre in Newtownards, since mid-2023.
His breakthrough came in 2018 when he won Commonwealth and European gold on the pommel horse, beating the reigning Olympic champion Matt Whitlock on both occasions. In 2019, still in his teens, he became the first Irish gymnast to win a medal at World Championships (bronze).
In 2021 he became the first Irish gymnast to make an Olympic final. He was joint second highest qualifier (15.266) in pommel but a fall proved costly in the final where he finished seventh on a score of 13:100.
In 2022 he won silver at the Commonwealth Games and in the past two years he has won back-to-back World titles (Liverpool, Nov ’22 & Antwerp Oct ’23) and back-to-back European titles (Antalya April ’23 & Rimini April ’24), bringing his tally of major international medals to 8 (6 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze).
GYMASTICS NEWS
Official Selection For Paris 2024 | Gymnastics
Rhys McClenaghan set to become two-time Olympian in the Men’s Pommel in Paris 2024 05 June 2024 The Olympic Federation of Ireland has officially selected Rhys McClenaghan to compete in the Men’s Pommel at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Ireland’s premier gymnast made his Olympic debut in Tokyo, and in Paris his competition [...]
CHILDREN NATIONWIDE TO JOIN OLYMPIANS ON ROAD TO PARIS
OLYMPIC FEDERATION OF IRELAND LAUNCHES ROAD TO PARIS – THE OLYMPIC SCHOOLS CHALLENGE Schools nationwide are invited to join the Irish Olympic team on an interactive journey to the Olympic Games in Paris. The challenge is part of the OFI’s ‘Dare to Believe’ programme supported by PTSB Today the Olympic Federation of Ireland, together […]
Performance Round Up – December
Catch up on the latest results of Team Ireland athletes throughout the month of December! Daniel Wiffen Smashes The Oldest Swimming World Record Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen had the swim of his life on Sunday, smashing the oldest World swimming record on the books in the 800m Freestyle Final at the European Aquatics Short Course Championships in Otopeni, Romania. Wiffen, [...]
Olympic Movement Breaks Launched in Primary Schools Nationally
Team Ireland athletes star as Olympic Movement Breaks is launched in primary schools nationally The Olympic Federation of Ireland and the Active School Flag programmes work together to get Irish primary school pupils more active Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education Thomas Byrne TD Launches Initiative The Minister of State for Sport and […]
Gymnastics World Championships – Team and How To Watch
WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTS Emma Slevin Halle Hilton MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTS Adam Steele Dominick Cunningham Eamon Montgomery Rhys McClenaghan *Below schedule is in local Belgian time Qualifiers Day 1 - Saturday, September 30th 10:00 - 20:05 - Men's Artistic Gymnastics - Qualification Day 1 Day 2 - Sunday, October 1st 10:00 - 14:05 - Men's Artistic [...]
Rhys McClenaghan ‘Dare To Believe’
On the 23rd of May 2023, Rhys McClenaghan made his first school visit as part of the Olympic Federation of Ireland Dare To Believe Programme, the Olympic schools programme that is sponsored by Permanent TSB. His aim is to inspire the next generation of kids and daring them to believe in themselves by sharing his [...]