Rhys McClenaghan: NI gymnast fifth in World Cup final in Germany

Image source, Inpho

Image caption, Rhys McClenaghan was crowned world champion in November 2022
  • Author, Nigel Ringland
  • Role, 大象传媒 Sport NI

World champion Rhys McClenaghan has finished in fifth place in the pommel horse final at the first FIG Apparatus World Cup of the season in Germany.

It was the first outing for the Newtownards gymnast since clinching the world title in Liverpool last November.

McClenaghan's score of 14.700 in Cottbus was well below his best.

McClenaghan won the gold medal at the world championships with a score of 15.300 and was also below his qualification score of 14.733.

Abdul Azimov from Uzbekistan won the competition with a score of 14.866.

McClenaghan's Commonwealth Games team mate Eamonn Montgomery was 18th in the floor qualification with a score of 13.433 and failed to qualify to qualify for the final.

This is the first of three weeks of World Cups with the Irish team now moving on to Doha and then Baku.

McClenaghan will also compete in the European Championships in April but his main goal for this year will be the World Championships in Antwerp at the beginning of October where not only will he be hoping to retain his pommel horse world title but also clinch his place at the 2024 Paris Olympics.