ALMOST TWO YEARS on from his last competition, Rhys McClenaghan came close to seeing a long-awaited chance to measure himself against the best in the continent pass him by last week.
The 21-year-old, who is also Tokyo-bound later this year, was a top medal prospect heading into the Gymnastics European Championships in Switzerland.
McClenaghan has a gold medal from the 2018 European championships as well as a bronze at the 2019 World Championships. The latter event was his last competitive outing before travelling to Basel for the Europeans.
He made an encouraging start to the championships, qualifying for the final of the pommel horse in first place with a score of 14.766. McClenaghan’s medal hopes received a further boost ahead of the final as Olympic champion Max Whitlock of Great Britain failed to progress.
Performance seemed to be affecting McClenaghan’s competitors due to falls during their routine. Four of the eight finalists in total slipped off the apparatus.
Everything seemed to be aligning in McClenaghan’s favour as he approached the pommel horse for his final spin. But he too fell mid-flight, picking up a score of 13.566 which left him in fifth place.
He had been compromised by a wrist injury from shortly before the championships. The day before his departure to be exact. There was even a worry that he might not be able to compete, and thus miss out on a big opportunity to prepare for the Olympics.
“The day before I was meant to travel I sustained a wrist injury on a simple conditioning exercise and that kind of threw off the whole perfect programme we had leading up to that,” McClenaghan explains to the media over a Zoom call.
“As soon as I did it I wasn’t able to move it in the correct ways, I wasn’t able to put pressure on it so when that happens the first thoughts that come to mind are, am I able to compete on this?
“Obviously, we don’t want to make it worse because the ultimate goal is the Olympic Games so if we were to push my body to the absolute limits for the European Championships and screw up Olympics then it’d be silly.
“We gave it three days of rest, five days out from competition, so there’s two and a half days before the competition where I was able to put pressure on it. The fact I was able to work with the physios and they could give me reassurance that it’s okay to put pressure on it, there won’t be any further damage was a very good thing.
“I could go into each training session with a bit more confidence, not thinking I would damage it any more.”
McClenaghan has fallen off the pommel horse plenty of times at training, but hasn’t dismounted unfavourably at competition since the 2018 World Championships.
He explained the nature of his injury and highlighted the input of his physio team to monitor the problem in his wrist and assess his condition to compete at the Europeans.
“It’s like a cartilage in my wrist that’s inflamed, we did work so closely with the physio team, my two physios Paul and Julianne that work in the Sport Ireland Institute and it is times like this you realise how strong the team is in Sport Ireland and you wouldn’t otherwise see that side of it if things are going perfectly.
“But when things go a little bit bad, it’s almost eye-opening to see there’s so much support behind us athletes and the fact I can work so closely with everyone in the Institute makes that support team so much stronger, makes that support team so much stronger. And I’m glad I was able to work so closely with the physios to get reassurance day in, day out that, ‘Okay, this looks good, there’s progression, we won’t injure it any more by doing this skill or that skill.’”
There’s been some noteable firsts in McClenaghan’s career so far. In 2016, he won a first-ever gymnastics medal for Ireland at the European Junior Championships. He became Ireland’s first gymnast to win a European medal two years later.
He’s also the first Irish gymnast to qualify for a world final, where he won a bronze medal at the championships in 2019.
While McClenaghan didn’t come back with the result he wanted this time around, it was a good showing from the Irish team at the European Championships, with Emma Slevin and Adam Steele both reaching the all-around finals.
McClenaghan is back at home now, and the disappointment is starting to give way to more reflective energy.
“It’s interesting to see how the brain evolves from immediately after a loss where all I feel is frustration, and then it kind of evolves into, it’s not so bad, this is European Championships, you start to justify it a little bit more and see the bigger picture, and that bigger picture is always Olympic Games.
“Even though the Europeans didn’t go as we had planned and at the time there was so many thoughts going through your heard now you give it a couple of days to think over, it becomes a lot more justified in your head.
“This is the reason we went for the more difficult routine, this is why that happened, and why that did happen is mostly because of the injury in my wrist at the minute.”
There’s an understandable eagerness to get back into the gym and correct the mistakes of last week. But as he waits for his wrist to mend, McClenaghan is placing more of a focus on training that puts his core and fitness levels to work.
Between now and the Olympic Games, he’s also looking at the possibility of competing at a World Cup in Croatia where he hopes to give a truer account of his ability and demonstrate a routine that matches “the world standards that I’m capable of.”
Still only in the early stages of his 20s, McClenaghan has an engaging manner. Anyone who’s curious to learn more about his life as an elite athlete can easily find out more on his Youtube channel.
He uploads vlogs of himself at training, in competition, and even going out for a walk with his dog. He also speaks directly to the camera with interesting comments and insights for the viewer.
“The young gymnasts inspire me every day to be a better gymnast every day,” he says when asked about why he set-up a vlog channel.
“But outside of gymnastics, as we know, social media and more online footage is craved more than ever by the younger generation. When I went on a couple of Zoom calls with a couple of clubs in Dublin, one question that I was always asked was, ‘When are you going to start posting on YouTube again?’ by the younger generation.
“It sparked an idea when those kids were asking me.”
He intends to vlog his experience at the Olympics, and is looking forward to how the event will be staged in the midst of a global pandemic.
There’s no immediate plans to pursue video work down the line but he enjoys the comfort of always having a camera nearby to pour this thoughts into if he needs it.
“There’s loads of stuff that I just don’t put on Youtube. I would talk in my head throughout the day a lot so pulling out the camera and just saying my thoughts is quite therapeutic. It makes those good thoughts that I want to remember stick in my head better when I say them out loud.
“I guess it’s something similar to if someone writes something in a journal, they’ll remember it easier. It’s the same for me when I talk in front of the the camera.”
Team Ireland partner and Global job site, Indeed, created a short film on the extraordinary journey of Ambassador Rhys McClenaghan and his determination to take home Ireland’s first ever gymnastic Olympic medal through their #TalentUnleashed series.
Watch the full video at youtube.com/watch?v=heSUPSDFfA0
Next season will be one of the most interesting seasons in an age. Leicester and Tottenham have money, Liverpool are doing well. United will buy big. And Man City will have to do a clear out. A few new names from the Euros will prob make big transfers. And as for Long, the better he is doing the better for us. For all the bitching people done about Robbie we can clearly see how he dragged us for years
Milan baros…… Supasta
Ye boys working here on the 42 are mad to get Coleman and McCarthy to ‘bigger’ clubs. Their performances this year would leave a lot to be desired I’d be surprised if a ‘big’ club would come in for them. They ain’t Denis Irvin and Roy Keane so get over it!
Coleman had plenty of interest when he made the team of the year in 2014 and McCarthy has been inquired after by the likes of Spurs before, even though it might not have gone anywhere. I think this shows they should have been more ruthless and grabbed their chances with both hands. It’s a short career.
McCarthy to Spurs could be a good move for both parties. He can provide an extra holding midfielder with Dier and Dembele and for McCarthy will have chance to play CL.
I think Shane Long is great but there is no doubt that he is wasteful in the premier league and does miss a couple before he scores but this season he has done well. Hope he pushes on for the euros and stays at Southampton!
I agree I think the author has got a slightly over board here !
As a gooner I just can’t see the immediate future improving at all. Bit harsh maybe to protest against Wenger but it’s time for a change. Fair fooks to Leicester though. The most exciting story in football since Denmark won the euro’s in 92. And as a diehard Ireland fan I dream of Ireland doing something similar
Funny you should mention it, if Ireland hadn’t fooked up in Poland they would have been a serious team at Euro 92. The team were at their peak that year.
I was only 2 when Denmark won the euros but leicester’s success surely has to be so much more exciting and impressive. Denmark won three games to win the Euros! I don’t need to tell ye what Leicester did!
They won more than three. 6 at least.
They won 2 in normal time and one on penos. There was only 8 teams in the Euros back then. Not that spectacular of an achievement. Greece in 2004 would be closer to what Leicester did but still miles away.
Would love to see Liverpool and Atletico win their European cup finals. I reckon they both have fantastic chances.
Have a wee bet on for that, so I hope so too!
Don’t agree with it being the
Minority that want Wenger to stay. I’m a Arsenal fan and want to him to see out his contract. It’s the media that’s made the hype surrounding Wenger. The protest game had just as many fans chanting FOR than against Wenger. Man is a legend and deserves our respect and deserves to see out his contract.
You’re definitely right. Be crazy to sack him. Although they will have to put in a long term plan replacing him – he is probably the only manager now who has control over the whole club. If they don’t plan they will end up a mess like United and forced to spend hundreds of millions to get back to top 4. And that’s coming from a Spurs fan!
So you want him out then
Spot on Sideshow. It would be mad to sack with out a proper long term plan in place. I’d expect him to still have a big role at the club which would be amazing for any manager who comes in to have that experience to draw from. I don’t think it’s a matter of his style of football that has some fans screaming for his head but more that he hasn’t brought in that world class striker to lead the line which admittedly he is partially to blame for alright. You get the sense that he knows he has to spend big and bring in that big name this summer but to call for his sacking is a bit much IMO. I doubt any manager (with the exception of Fergie) could have managed CL quali for 18 season in a row and that alone deserves massive plaudits for keeping Arsenal a “big club”
PS. If you lot could lose tomorrow that’d be great. Cheers ;)
Ye’re gas, I just don’t get the calls for this big name striker, vardy was hardly a big name, Aguero is a big name but he still didn’t guarantee city the league, besides Giroud has one of the highest goal to minutes played ratio in the league, Sanchez is class, and ye’ve loads of attacking players, it’s at the heart of the defence is ye’re biggest problem, look at any league winning side from living memory and they’re all built on solid defensive foundations, no side would have ever won the league with an aging per mertesacker at the heart of its defence
Barca would say otherwise. Haven’t been Defensively sound all year. If it was the premier league they played in they’d leak goals. Its that front three of MSN made the difference so I say yes, a big name striker is of massive importance for a team to win a league. Leicester was a freak occurrence that we might never see in our lifetime again. Giroud is a solid squad player. Good footballer and great to bring off the bench but leading the line id say no. He scored last weekend, his first goal since March 4th. Says enough for me
How many minutes of football did Giroud actually play in that space of time, and no vardy isn’t a total aberration, look at Martial for instance – plucked from relative obscurity. By your logic the Barca defence is no better than arsenals defence, I’m sorry but I’d take pique and mascherano any day over mertesacker, even koscielny is decent but gets muscled out of it in the air a lot. So unless ye are going to go and buy three of the best attackers in the world then no I don’t think one more striker will win the league for ye. How many times have I seen mertesacker vacate central defence and then fail to get back in time, it happened against spurs and again against city. Huth and morgan have shown whats needed to win titles.
“plucked from relative obscurity” – Ya, but for how much money?
Fancy Liverpool next year.
Showbiz
Rumors abound that Klopp will see Sturridge, bring in Goetze and make Firmino his main striker. It would be some statement from Klopp if he were to do that.
Top class? No. Has played better this season with an extended run of games but one season does not make a player. Now i might have the bar too high but top class for me would be lukaku and higuain while world class would be suarez, ibrahimovic. Messi and ronaldo have their own special class. Am I being too restrictive?
Lukaku and Higuain are Europa class at best whilst Ibrahamovic is merely a flat-track tosser!!
Suarez surely has to be in a class above Ibra? He’s proven himself at Barca while Ibra floundered there
Only took him 8seasons….
Long might be great with klopp?
Shane Long is an all round striker but I’m surprised no one has given Connor Salmon a mention , given his recent performances he ought to be given a place for the Euros next month
And starting as lone striker of course!
Shane long is far from being a Top class striker. He is John walters with A bit more pace but doesn’t hold the Ball as well as Walters does. Thats the decision O’Neill must make a mediocre striker that can Run in behind of One that can hold the Ball up to involve others in the play.
With no European Football to distract, Chelsea under Conte should be a good bet next season for top 4.
‘hon the ‘hoe. G’wan the Long fella