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 takes place in the Bercy Arena, on the 27 July and the 3 August.
From Newtownards, Co. Down, McClenaghan achieved qualification for Paris 2024 when he became World Champion in the Men’s Pommel in Antwerp, in October 2023, winning the sole automatic allocation spot for the Games.
The Men’s Pommel Horse is one of the surviving events from the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and is a shoulder and technique-based event with rhythmic motion originating from the starting point, the mount. Scoring is based on the execution and the difficulty scores calculated by judges.
Speaking on his selection, McClenaghan said,
“It’s a huge honour to be selected for my second Olympics Games. It is the biggest show in the world, and I am looking forward to going out and performing to my best. My routine is both challenging and ambitious, which is what it needs to be in order to compete at this level.”
Olympic Federation of Ireland Chef de Mission for Paris 2024, Gavin Noble said,
“Rhys is an exciting athlete, and always a great addition to a team. We are delighted to officially select him to Team Ireland for the Paris Olympics. It takes a huge amount of dedication and training to compete at this level, and it is even more impressive for Rhys to be going into the Games as reigning World and European Champion, we wish him the best of luck.”
Sally Johnson, Gymnastics High Performance Director said,
“The road to Rhys and Luke’s second Olympics is paved with passion and perseverance showing a great partnership between coach and gymnast. Their hard work is a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence, showcasing exceptional collaboration! We look forward to the Games and to Rhys performing his World Class
Routine on Pommel as part of the Team Ireland Olympic Team. Thank you to all the support team who are involved in supporting Rhys!”
This is the second official selection of athletes to Team Ireland for Paris 2024, a Games that will see us celebrate our centenary competing as a nation at the Olympic Games. The team announcements for each sport will follow over the coming weeks, with the final team announcement scheduled for the beginning of July. The Olympic Games in Paris will run from the 24th July to the 11th August 2024, with the Opening Ceremony taking place on the 26th July.
TEAM IRELAND PARIS GYMNASTICS ANNOUNCEMENT:
Men’s Pommel:
Rhys McClenaghan (Newtownards)