Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan concluded his routine in the men's pommel horse final with a sixth-place finish, failing to secure a medal. The Northern Irish gymnast, who had been a strong contender after qualifying third, scored 13.000 at the Glasgow International Arena.
McClenaghan's performance was a deviation from his recent run of success, which included gold at the 2018 Gold Coast Games and silver in Birmingham four years ago. The 27-year-old had entered the final with high expectations, following his qualifying score of 14.500, but his routine was visibly affected by an early error. His difficulty score dropped to 5.200 and execution to 7.800, significantly lower than his qualifying marks.
Reflecting on his routine, McClenaghan told BBC Sport NI that it "didn't go to plan," particularly an issue with the initial skill not being counted, which he stated "dismantled the whole routine." He attempted to recover, but a leg split towards the end further impacted his score. An appeal to review his score was subsequently rejected by the judges.
The gold medal was claimed by Canada's Jordan Carroll, who set a high standard with a score of 15.000. Scotland celebrated two medals on home soil, with Reuben Ward, already a gold medallist in the men's all-around final, securing silver with 14.966, and Cameron Lynn earning bronze with 13.833. England's Adam Tobin, part of the silver-winning team, finished eighth after a fall.
This outcome brings an end to McClenaghan's remarkable streak of five successive major championship wins, which included World Championship golds in 2022 and 2023, European titles in 2023 and 2024, and his Olympic victory in 2024. Despite the setback, McClenaghan remains focused on future competitions, viewing this as a "stepping stone" towards the European Championships in a few weeks, the World Championships in October, and his ultimate goal of defending his Olympic title in Los Angeles in two years' time.