Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan “is the best in the world, that’s a fact,” says his father Danny.
McClenaghan won a historic gold medal in Paris on Saturday, completing a Grand Slam in gymnastics.
The 25-year-old is also a two-time world champion, three-time European champion and winner of a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
“I just can’t believe he’s an Olympic champion, but at the same time I think to myself, of course he’s an Olympic champion, what else could he have done?” Danny told BBC Sport NI.
“He is the best in the world at that, that’s a fact.”
After watching Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov score an early goal and his rival Max Whitlock of Team GB just miss, McClenaghan put in a flawless routine and became emotional when the scores were announced.
Despite his rigorous routine, his mother Tracy said it was “torment” to watch her son perform at the Bercy Arena.
“That’s honestly the only way I can describe it,” she said.
“When he goes into an arena like that and it’s full of screaming people, it almost feels like he’s a gladiator going to the lions, and you have no control over that.
“All you can do is support him on his path to greatness.”
‘Can’t believe it’s finally happened’
Tracy added that the whole family was “overjoyed” with his achievement in Paris.
“I just can’t believe it,” Tracy said.
“We knew he would become Olympic champion one day, we had confidence he would become Olympic champion, but whether that was today or not, we didn’t know.
“Rhys has been working towards this day since he was eight. He told me when he was eight that he wanted to go to the Olympics, and that has been his lifelong ambition.
“We just can’t believe it finally happened for him today.”
McClenaghan became the fourth athlete from Northern Ireland to win a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Before the Games, only three other athletes from Northern Ireland had ever won gold.
He also becomes the third gold medal winner for Team Ireland in Paris.
Danny added that it felt “really intense” and that it was a very emotional moment.
“We’re a very close family and we haven’t seen him in about three weeks, so I just want to give him a hug.
“He’s made a lot of sacrifices, but it’s also a lot of fun being a gymnast. So even though he’s made a lot of sacrifices, he’s also having the time of his life.”
