Rhys McClenaghan finished third in qualifying for Monday's final as he continued the early stages of what he has described as “McClenaghan 2.0” with a new pommel horse routine at the Commonwealth Games. He said the routine was “a work in progress”, but Friday’s performance suggested the rebuild is already heading in the right direction.
Competing on a big stage for the first time in earnest since he peaked by completing the gymnastics 'Grand Slam' with Olympic gold in Paris two years ago, McClenaghan showed the Glasgow International Arena crowd what they had been missing during his injury-enforced absence that lasted the entirety of 2025. The 27-year-old scored 14.500 and celebrated his almost perfect execution, reflected by a 9.000 score, with a small dance after dismounting from the pommel horse.
McClenaghan looked confident in his approach to the apparatus, throughout his routine and afterwards, as he took in the support of a crowd that included a strong Northern Ireland contingent. That confidence is familiar from an athlete who has won it all in his sport, but despite his composed exterior, McClenaghan admitted he felt anxious about returning with all eyes on him and with greater pressure than he faced in Birmingham four years ago because of the titles he has won since.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but I'm nervous for every competition, this one held a little bit more weight," he told NI.
"We're at an arena on qualification day and it's packed out, audience cheering when your name is announced and it's a different feeling than other gymnastics competitions.
"Normally qualifications are empty, so it's really nice to be a part of that and it felt like a finals day here and that's why there are a few more smiles and happy faces with how the pommel routine went."
McClenaghan's qualifying score was well above the 13.466 and 13.900 he registered at World Cup events in Azerbaijan and Antalya earlier this year as he made his comeback. It remains below his personal best of 15.533, which came in the Olympic final, but his polished display in Glasgow marks a clear step forward and sends him comfortably into Monday's final in third place.
He sits behind Scotland's Reuben Ward and Canada's Jordan Carroll, who both scored 14.550 after attempting harder difficulty but performing less well on execution than McClenaghan. The Newtownards gymnast continues to chase perfection and said there are still parts of the routine that need adjusted, even if the changes will be minor rather than major.
With his rival Max Whitlock absent from Glasgow because of injury, McClenaghan now has a strong chance to do what he set out to achieve at these Games and add another gold to the silver he won in 2022, alongside the title he claimed at his first Commonwealth Games in 2018.
"There's more room for improvement,"he added.
"I was down on my difficulty score and heat of the moment decisions, I was a bit off balance and too much tension in my arms, so I get the opportunity now to train for Monday's final where I should be a bit more sharp and agile and put out a better routine than I did today."
McClenaghan's only disappointment on what was otherwise a fruitful afternoon was missing out on the floor final. It was the first time he had competed on floor since the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, and a stumble as he went for a landing on a final triple somersault left him with a score of 12.350.
It was a rare mistake, but he will return to the pommel horse in Monday's final, where the setback is likely to be quickly forgotten as he focuses on another major prize and the chance to further strengthen his legacy.
"I was just happy to be here and compete on floor but at the same time I was here to win medals too, it was a real shame, I was going too much for that stuck landing on the dismount and that had me under rotating.
"The rest of the routine was great and it was nice to get the opportunity to perform it out here."
How does this affect his medal chances?
McClenaghan's third-place finish in qualifying leaves him well placed to contend for a third Commonwealth Games medal on Monday. His score in Glasgow compares favourably with his comeback performances earlier in the year and, with Whitlock unavailable, he has a realistic opportunity to add to the gold he won in 2018 and the silver he collected in 2022.
What went well and what still needs work?
The routine delivered in Glasgow showed clear improvement, especially in execution, but McClenaghan said there is still room to refine difficulty, balance and arm tension. He described the qualifying routine as a platform for Monday, when he expects to be sharper, more agile and able to produce a better performance.
What happened on floor?
McClenaghan missed out on the floor final after a stumble on his landing from a final triple somersault. He scored 12.350 in that event, a disappointment he acknowledged after saying he was happy to compete on floor while also aiming for medals.
Key Facts
- Rhys McClenaghan finished third in pommel horse qualifying for Monday's final.
- He scored 14.500, with execution marked at 9.000.
- He was behind Scotland's Reuben Ward and Canada's Jordan Carroll, who both scored 14.550.
- McClenaghan scored 12.350 on floor after a stumble on a triple somersault landing.
- Max Whitlock is not competing in Glasgow because of injury.
