Paris Olympics 2024: ‘It’s a badge of honour’ – McClenaghan tops pommel horse qualifying

If the scores in the final were as they were in qualifying, McClenaghan would take gold ahead of Nedoroscik on his higher execution score – 8.900 to the American’s 8.800.

But the scores are reset on Saturday, and everyone will raise their game. There is nothing won yet.

McClenaghan said there is room to improve, saying “we can upgrade the routine, upgrade that difficulty”.

He isn’t even focused on his opposition, stating it’s “me against me in this world”.

The last Olympic gold medallist from Northern Ireland came at the 1988 Olympics when Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood won hockey gold with Team GB.

For the last individual gold, you have to go all the way back to Lady Mary Peters in 1972.

In terms of the expectation that will only grow following his qualifying performance, McClenaghan said “I’m managing it, that’s all I can say”.

“I know what I need to do. I don’t even need to think about the podium, or think about the Olympic Games.

“What I need to do is my job, and that is doing a clean pommel horse routine.”

Before these Games, McClenaghan said he wanted to be the best of all time on the pommel horse as he chases gymnastics’ ‘Grand Slam’.

Now his dream is one step closer.