Rhys McClenaghan wants to 'nail it' at World Championships after Olympics disappointment
- Published
McClenaghan came seventh in the Olympic final after falling early in his routine
Artistic Gymnastics World Championships |
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Dates: 18-24 October Venue: Kitakyushu General Gymnasium, Japan |
Coverage: Watch the finals from 21 October live on 大象传媒 TV, iPlayer, the Red Button and the 大象传媒 Sport website and app. |
Rhys McClenaghan has said he will use his Olympics heartbreak to fuel his bid for pommel horse success at this week's World Championships in Japan.
The competition, which got underway on Monday, will be a first time in action for the Northern Ireland gymnast since a fall in August's final ruined his bid for Olympic gold.
McClenaghan, who won bronze at the 2019 Worlds, is relishing his return.
"It was the best thing for me to have another major straight after," he said.
"I feel like the competition is going to be even more difficult here because there are some guys that didn't squeeze on to that Olympic team for the bigger nations like China or Japan that are going to these championships.
"I go to every competition wanting to nail it and it would be silly to think otherwise because that's what I'm capable of, and it would be silly to set any expectations lower than what I'm capable of.
"It doesn't stop at each major event."
'My world didn't crash down around me'
McClenaghan qualified for the Olympic final with the second best score
McClenaghan, 22, had been among the favourites to take home an Olympic medal having beaten eventual winner Max Whitlock to Commonwealth gold on the Gold Coast in 2018 before winning a European gold later that year.
However, having qualified for the final with the second best score, an early dismount in his final routine saw him finish seventh.
The Newtownards native, who gave a very reasoned TV interview immediately after the Olympic final, remains philosophical about the experience, and is determined to use it in a positive way.
"After Tokyo it didn't feel that my world had crashed down around me because I'm thinking ahead to the next one," he reflected.
"Even if I had won the Olympic Games I'd be thinking 'OK, World Championships now I need to add that' and that's just the way my brain works.
"Of course, my coach Luke [Carson] and I had a conversation about what happened in the final, what happened in the whole Olympic experience and we're walking away from that Olympics with a smile on our face.
"My Olympic Games for me is that qualification routine where I was the first Irish gymnast to make a final and become an Olympian."
Olympic champion Whitlock and the British team that competed at the Tokyo Games are not taking part in this week's World Championships.