‘He’s the best in the world and that’s a fact’

Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan “is the best in the world, and that’s a fact”, says his father, Danny.

McClenaghan claimed a historic gold in Paris on Saturday to complete a gymnastics Grand Slam.

The 25-year-old is also a double world champion, three-time European champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

“I just can’t believe he’s Olympic champion but at the same time I think to myself ‘of course he’s Olympic champion, what else was he going to do?,” Danny told BBC Sport NI.

“He’s the best at that in the world and that’s a fact.”

After watching Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov lay down an early marker and rival Max Whitlock of Team GB fall just short, McClenaghan put in a flawless routine that saw him filled with emotion as the scores were revealed.

However, despite his strong routine, his mother Tracy said it was “agony” watching her son perform at the Bercy Arena.

“That’s the only way to describe it, honestly,” she said.

“When he comes out into an arena like that and it’s just full of screaming people, it almost feels like he’s a gladiator going to the lions, and you have no control over it as well.

“All you can do is support him on his way to his greatness.”

‘Can’t believe it’s finally happened’

Tracy added that the entire family were “over the moon” at his achievement in Paris.

“I just can’t believe it,” said Tracy.

“We knew that he would be Olympic champion some day, we were confident he would be an Olympic champion, but whether it was today or not, we didn’t know.

“Rhys has been working for this day since he was eight. He said to me when he was eight that he wanted to go to the Olympics, and that has been his life-long ambition.

“We just can’t believe today it’s finally happened for him.”

McClenaghan became the fourth athlete from Northern Ireland to win a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

Prior to the Games, only three other athletes from NI had ever won gold.

He also becomes the third gold medallist for Team Ireland in Paris.

Danny added that “it does feel so intense” and it was a very emotional moment.

“We’re a very close family and we haven’t seen him for about three weeks so, I just want to give him a hug.

“He’s been through a lot of sacrifice but it’s also a lot of fun being a gymnast. So although the sacrifice has been there he’s also having the time of his life.”