Rhys McClenaghan wins Ireland’s first gymnastics gold on pommel horse

Two-time Olympic champion Max Whitlock finished fourth.

Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan celebrates winning gold in the men’s pommel horse at the Paris Olympics (Peter Byrne/PA). (PA Wire)

Rhys McClenaghan won Ireland’s maiden gymnastics gold on pommel horse but there was heartbreak for Max Whitlock in his final competition.

Whitlock went into these Games as the double defending champion on pommel horse after historic triumphs in Rio and Tokyo, as well as a bronze medal back in London.

But the 31-year-old, who will retire after these Games, lost momentum towards the end of his routine and was only able to score 15.200.

That left him in fourth place, 0.333 points behind two-time world champion McClenaghan, who put the disappointment of missing out on a medal in Tokyo firmly behind him with a brilliant performance.

The 25-year-old Northern Irishman clenched his fists in delight when gold was confirmed, with Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan taking silver and American Stephen Nedoroscik bronze.

Earlier, Jake Jarman secured Britain’s first artistic gymnastics medal in the French capital in a high-level floor final, taking bronze, his first Olympic medal.

The 22-year-old had the highest score in qualifying and also topped the floor standings during the men’s all-around final.

But his routine was not quite as clean as that of gold medallist Carlos Edriel Yulo of the Philippines, who scored 15.001 to become the first man from his country to win an Olympic title, while Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat took silver, with Jarman just behind on 14.933.

“I’m super proud,” said Jarman. “It’s definitely a massive achievement. Floor, although I post some crazy videos, historically I’ve not done well on floor in major championships.

“I’ve only got a bronze medal at a European Championships so, to be walking away with an Olympic medal, I feel like I’ve skipped a step. It’s unbelievable.”

Jarman’s team-mate Luke Whitehouse, European champion in the discipline, finished down in sixth with 14.466 despite a very impressive routine after being marked down for difficulty following a low landing.

Jarman will have another chance of a medal when he goes in the final on vault on Sunday, where he is world champion.