Rhys McClenaghan says qualifying for the Olympic pommel horse final in first place is a 'badge of honour', but he has to improve as he bids for a gold.
If there were any Olympics ghosts lingering for Rhys McClenaghan, he certainly did not let them show as he qualified for the pommel horse final in first position.
But in the three years since, the 25-year-old from Northern Ireland has gone from strength to strength.Now he feels it is time for Olympic gold - the biggest prize of all. Saturday's qualification only added to that belief."That's something I am super proud to say, but we have to do the job again on Saturday.
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. 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."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.
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