Injured Olympic champion McClenaghan to miss Worlds

Rhys McClenaghan won an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Olympic pommel horse champion Rhys McClenaghan has confirmed he will miss the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Two-time world champion McClenaghan, who has not competed since winning Olympic gold for Ireland in Paris last summer, said he had been "struggling with this injury for a while now".

This year's Worlds take place in Jakarta from 19-25 October.

The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the World Championships are two events for McClenaghan to target in 2026.

"I'm disappointed to miss this year's World Championships, but my priority is to maintain my place as the best in the world on pommel horse," said the 26-year-old.

"My goal is not only to retain my Olympic title in LA 2028 but to continue striving for gold in every major competition. This surgery was necessary to ensure I can perform at the highest level for years to come.

"Setbacks are part of elite sport, but my mindset is about turning challenges - as I have done before - into opportunities to raise my performance."

McClenaghan was one of four athletes from Northern Ireland to win a gold medal in Paris in a historic games after rower Hannah Scott and swimmers Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan all had success at the Games.

By winning gold in France, McClenaghan completed gymnastics' Grand Slam by becoming Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth champion.

After his Olympic triumph, he competed on and won Dancing With the Stars, which is the Irish version of Strictly Come Dancing.

He had been due to compete in the European Championships in May but withdrew through injury. McClenaghan previously had shoulder surgery in 2018.