BBC NI at the Olympics

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Rhys McClenaghan has spoken of those anxious seconds when he waited to hear whether his Olympic Games gold medal dream remained alive.

The Ireland gymnast said his broad smile after he dismounted from the pommel horse in Saturday's final was the sense of relief "that I had done my job".

But he admitted he couldn't be certain he had beaten the "monster score" of 15.433 produced by the very first competitor in the final, Kazakhstan's Nariman Kurbanov.

"No absolutely not," said the 25-year-old Newtownards man whether he immediately knew that he had done enough after finishing his routine.

"When we went 0.1 above that was the crazy realisation that this might be the day I become Olympic champion."

The county Down man still had to wait for the remaining competitors to do their programmes before his gold medal was confirmed.

McClenaghan acknowledged that not adding an Olympic gold to his previous World, European and Commonwealth Games titles would have left "that empty gap" even though "I still would have walked away as Ireland’s most successful ever gymnast and one of the sport’s best".

"This whole Olympic Games cycle was a redemption, the back-to-back World and European titles and then rounding it off with the Olympic title," the gymnast told BBC Northern Ireland's Good Morning Ulster.

"That was the redemption era for Rhys McClenaghan there. I’m so glad it was completed."

The gymnastics prodigy had made clear his ambition to win the Olympic title for a decade.

"I’ve been saying that since I probably around 15 or 16.

"To be saying it back then to a lot of people maybe came across as arrogant, or too confident, like ‘what gives this guy the right to say that?’. Now everyone is realising why I said that'."

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Ireland's Finn Lynch has lifted himself into the qualifying spots for Tuesday's medal race in the men's dinghy with another strong day's sailing on Sunday.

The 28-year-old had moved from 25th to 15th overall on Saturday, with his performances in races seven and eight then taking him into 10th spot.

Should he stay there through Monday's two races, he would qualify for Tuesday's medal race.

On the women's side, Eve McMahon came sixth in the seventh race before finishing 15th in the eighth, lifting her from 17th to 15th in the overall standings.

The Olympic debutant is still 22 points outside the crucial top 10 with only Monday's races to make up the ground and advance to the medal race.

In the men's kayak cross, Noel Hendrick and Liam Jegou both finished third in their heats with only the top two advancing to the quarter-finals, while, in the women’s event, Madison Corcoran finished fourth to also miss out.

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Rory McIlroy finished in a tie for fifth in the men's golf competition at Paris 2024 after a costly double bogey at the 15th hole saw him tumble down a leaderboard ultimately topped by American Scottie Scheffler at 19-under-par.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland had started the final round four shots off the leaders but over the front nine appeared to lose any momentum he had gained from playing his first three holes in two-under-par.

He would catch fire at the turn, however, with a run of five consecutive birdies lifting him into a tie for third.

The double bogey would abruptly end that hot streak, his second shot on the 15th rolling off the green and into the water to effectively derail his medal hopes.

Finishing with three consecutive pars, his 15 under total saw him end up two shots behind the bronze medallist, Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.

McIlroy's Irish team-mate Shane Lowry finished five-under-par and in a tie for 26th place.

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Nicola Tuthill has failed to progress to the women's hammer final in Paris after finishing 16th in qualifying on Sunday morning.

The 20-year-old Cork athlete had a best throw of 69.90 but that was good enough to make the top 12 to go through.

Tuthill was just 1.16m short of making the final on her Games debut.

Finland's Krista Tervo topped qualifying with 74.79 with Camryn Rogers of Canada second and American DeAnna Price third.

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Daniel Wiffen has joked that he "feels like Simone Biles" after his first Olympic gold medal brought him some newfound fame.

Wiffen won Team Ireland's first gold of the Paris Games when he triumphed in a thrilling 800 metre freestyle final on Tuesday.

In doing so, he also became the first athlete from Northern Ireland to win an Olympic gold medal in 36 years.

Wiffen said his success has brought him plenty of new attention, which led him to compare himself to the USA's superstar gymnast Simone Biles, who won her third gold of the Games on Saturday.

"I actually think I'm probably like one of the most famous Olympic champions," the 23-year-old said.

"I've got a distinct look about me because I think every sport comes up to me in the dining hall and asks for photos.

"I feel like Simone Biles."

When asked if he was enjoying being recognised, Wiffen said: "Yeah, I like it"

"I mean, why not? It's pretty cool."

He also said that he's had "five hundred" photos taken with him since his win.

"I've been signing autographs and everything.

"They wait outside my building when I come out for breakfast for photos."

Wiffen will look to secure a historic second gold medal when he competes in the 1500m freestyle final at La Defense Arena at 17:37 BST.

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Rory McIlroy says he is "excited" for the opportunity to chase an Olympic medal when the men's golf event concludes on Sunday.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland goes into the final round at Le Golf National in a tie for sixth and four shots off leaders Xander Schauffele of the USA and Spain's Jon Rahm.

McIlroy was initially sceptical of golf's introduction to the Olympics, and did not compete for Team Ireland at the first opportunity in Rio, but says his rounds in Paris have been "a lot more fun" than in more traditional big events.

"You don't get this at the Masters," he told BBC Sport in front of a chanting crowd.

"It's a lot more fun. The crowd are so enthusiastic, it's awesome.

"It's an incredible environment to play in and I'm excited to play one more time in it tomorrow."

McIlroy, who won the last of his four majors in 2014, finished in a six-way tie for fourth place in Tokyo three years ago and joked this week that he had never tried so hard to finish third in his career.

This time around, while Schauffele, Rahm and Britain's Tommy Fleetwood will start the final round in the medal positions, McIlroy is joined in the chasing pack by the likes of world number one Scottie Scheffler and former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama.

"I'm in a really good place in the leaderboard," added McIlroy.

"I was really close to getting a medal last time in Tokyo, I'm in contention to try and get a medal this time around, and I'm excited for that opportunity."

McIlroy, in his first action since missing the cut at the Open last month, is 10 under going into the final round after a 66 on Saturday that featured five birdies and no bogeys.

"I can't complain too much, to play a bogey-free round today with that really being the gameplan," said the world number three.

"I went out today to really try and limit the mistakes. I played the front nine incredibly well again, I've played that nine in three-under-par each day.

"I played the back nine a little better today which was nice to see."

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Team Ireland athlete Cathal Doyle advanced to Sunday's men's 1500m semi-finals by winning heat one of the repechage round on Saturday evening.

Doyle produced a surge in the final 300m to come home first in a time of 3:34.92.

France's Azeddine Habz [3:35.10] and Ossama Meslek of Italy [3:35.32] finished second and third in the heat to also also progress to the next stage.

Luke McCann bowed out however after taking seventh in 3:36.50.

Irish record holder Andrew Coscoran also failed to make the semi-finals as the Dubliner came in 12th in repechage heat two.

Italy's Federico Riva won that heat in 3:32.84, followed by Canada's Charles Philibert- Thiboutot [3:33.53] and Great Britain's George Mills [3:33.56].

Rhys McClenaghan says his Olympic Games gold medal in the pommel horse is reward for a lifetime of work.

The 25-year-old from Newtownards completed gymnastics' 'Grand Slam' after winning gold for Ireland with a stunning routine in Paris.

Read more here

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Newtownards gymnast Rhys McClenaghan says Olympic gold is a "dream come true" after his disappointment in Tokyo.

Three years ago, the 25-year-old was among the favourites for a medal but slipped from the pommel horse and ultimately finished seventh in what was his Olympic debut.

At his second Games in Paris, the Team Ireland gymnast produced a sensational routine, taking gold with a personal best score of 15.533 ahead of Kazakhstan's Nariman Kurbanov and the USA's Stephen Nedoroscik.

"I knew it was possible," he told BBC Sport of topping the podium.

"I knew it was possible back in Tokyo as well but it didn't happen. This was the comeback I needed and it happened.

"A dream come true. I can't believe I've done it on this day."

McClenaghan's is the sixth medal by an athlete from Northern Ireland in Paris and he joins rower Hannah Scott and swimmers Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan in claiming gold.

Prior to these Games, athletes from Northern Ireland had won three gold medals in Olympic history.

Even after reaching the pinnacle of his sport, McClenaghan added his natural inclination was to think of what he could have done better.

"There's always room for improvement," he said.

"I want to go back into the gym right now and work on the improvements but my coach won't let me, probably.

"That's okay. I think he's right in this situation, we need to celebrate our Olympic title."

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at Bercy Arena

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Rhys McClenaghan has completed gymnastics' 'Grand Slam' after winning pommel horse gold at the Paris Olympics with a stunning routine.

The fourth to perform his routine, the Team Ireland gymnast was flawless as his score of 15.533 edged Kazakhstan's Nariman Kurbanov by just 0.100.

The USA's Stephen Nedoroscik was third with 15.200.

Team GB's Max Whitlock, who went second, scored a 15.200, just 0.333 down on McClenaghan and had to settle for fourth place.

After a flawless run, McClenaghan's coach Luke Carson had his head on his hands just before the dismount.

When the Newtownards gymnast landed it, both let out a huge roar and there was an emotional embrace between the pair.

There was a nervous wait as the remaining four gymnasts took to the pommel horse, with Nedoroscik going closest while backed by the vocal USA support who had just witnessed Simone Biles win gold in the women's vault final.

McClenaghan becomes the fourth athlete from Northern Ireland to win a gold medal at these Olympics.

The 25-year-old joins swimmer Daniel Wiffen and GB's Hannah Scott in converting their world titles into Olympic gold.

Jack McMillan also won a gold medal after helping Team GB to first place in the 4x200m freestyle.

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Rory McIlroy fired a third round of five-under-par 66 at Le Golf National on Saturday to lie in tied sixth place on 10 under in the men's Olympic golf competition.

The world number three posted a bogey-free round to stay in contention for a medal, four shots behind the joint leaders.

McIlroy recorded birdies at the first, third, ninth, 11th and 14th holes during his round.

His fellow Team Ireland competitor Shane Lowry also carded a 66 to improve to five under for the competition, which finishes on Sunday.

Spain's Jon Rahm and American Xander Schauffele lead on 14 under after round three, with England's Tommy Fleetwood third on 13 under.

Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard and Hideki Matsuyama from Japan are tied for fourth on 11 under.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist at the Paris La Defense Arena

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Both of Team Ireland’s 4x100m medley relay squads set new national records in the heats on the penultimate day of action in the pool.

The men’s squad of Conor Ferguson, Darragh Greene, Max McCuster and Shane Ryan finished 11th overall in a time of 3:33.81, breaking the previous figures of 3:34.62.

The women’s quartet of Danielle Hill, bronze medallist from the individual 100m breaststroke Mona McSharry, Ellen Walshe and 16-year-old Grace Davison also finished in 11th place, setting a new Irish record of 4:00.12 and smashing the previous best of 4:01.75.

The men were led off by Larne’s Conor Ferguson, who after eight years of getting so close to becoming an Olympian, finally did so on the backstroke leg.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” he said afterwards.

”I was a bit disappointed with my own swim but the team swam great and it’s nice to set a new record although I think we could have made that final.”

Hill, meanwhile, swam her third quickest time ever in the heats of the 50m freestyle of 25.02 to finish 21st overall.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist at the Paris La Défense Arena

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Daniel Wiffen’s quest to become a double gold medallist at the Paris Olympics is gaining momentum.

He even surprised himself with how fast he went in the 1500m freestyle heats, posting a time of 14:40.34, over two seconds quicker that Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri.

The two men battled each other in the 800m freestyle final on Tuesday with Wiffen taking gold and Paltrinieri the bronze.

”I don't think I put a hard stroke in at all,” said Wiffen.

“It was a very fast time to be fair I thought I went around 14.45 and to go 14.40 now I mean that's pretty pretty good for the heats, fastest I've ever been and it's a top five time for me so I'm pretty happy with that.”

Wiffen will go into Sunday’s final as favourite and he‘s using the motivation of breaking the world record held by Sun Yang of 14:31.02 set at the 2012 Olympics in London as part of his preparations.

“I'd love to become a double Olympic champion but I think it's not going to be easy. It's kind of hard because my goal for this meet was to win an Olympic gold and I've already done it so I've had to think of new ways to keep motivated.

“I know I said previously that I wanted to have a crack at the Sun Yang record and you know I'm gonna have a try and if I get it I get it but if I don't I don't, but I reckon to win the gold I'm gonna need to go on the world record.”

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist in Paris

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There has been a little more Northern Ireland success on the final day of rowing at Vaires-sur-Marne.

London 2012 silver medallist Richard Chambers from Coleraine has coached the Great Britain women’s eight to a bronze medal.

Chambers, who has taken time away from his coaching job at Leander Rowing Club in London in order to be part of the Olympic coaching team, has helped GB to only the second medal in the history of the event following on from a silver in Rio, eight years ago.

The rowing regatta in Paris ends with a gold for Hannah Scott, silver for Rebecca Shorten and bronze for Philip Doyle and now the coaching success for Chambers.

Quite a week for Northern Ireland rowers.