RHYS McClenaghan is well primed for Tokyo glory after a superb qualification in the Pommel Horse competition.
The former European gold and world bronze medallist has a realistic shot at an Olympic medal on Sunday week after completing the qualifying section in joint second place.
His brilliant routine earned him a score of 15.266, just outside his efforts in winning those European and Worlds medals, and was better than that of five-time GB Olympic medal winner Max Whitlock.
McClenaghan finished in joint second place alongside Kohei Kameyama of Japan, with Taiwan’s Chih Kai Lee in first place - on the same points but deemed ahead of the other pair for achieving a higher execution mark.
“I am so proud to be the first Irish gymnast to make an Olympic final,” McClenaghan stated.
"I felt the whole situation was mine. My coach even said it’s not a matter of if I go through my routine but when I go through it.
"So there was no doubt in either my mind or my coach’s mind. It really was that standard today.
"I can definitely get my execution better. For me that was a sloppy routine, with a lot of errors in execution that I normally would not make.
"It’s just about sharpening the tools for the final set."
