GYMNASTIC fans were left bitterly disappointed yesterday after 22-year-old Rhys McClenaghan had his Olympic hopes dashed by literally putting one finger wrong.
The young Newtownards man finished seventh in the men's pommel horse final after his finger got caught under the handle near the start of his routine and he came off the horse.
He resumed after a word of advice from coach Luke Carson but the error still cost him a much-wanted medal.
McClenaghan had been among the favourites to take home a medal having claimed bronze at the 2019 World Championships.
He is the only Irish gymnast ever to have reached the finals of the Olympics.
"One finger placement went off and that was me off the horse," said. "That's the finest of margins in gymnastics. On finger got caught under the handle and that was it.
"But I’m standing here in front of you an Olympian, an Olympic finalist, the first-ever Irish gymnast to achieve that and to be honest, for me, I’ll be walking away from this a more dangerous man, a more dangerous man than ever before, because with disappointment comes an incredible amount of motivation and inspiration."
In a tweet he added: "My head is held higher than ever."
Meanwhile, there was disappointment too for golfer Rory McIlroy as he also missed out on a medal in the men's tournament in Tokyo.
The 32-year-old was among seven players vying for a bronze.
"I've never tried so hard in my life to finish third,"he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It's not a position I've found myself in very often but I gave it my all out there and it wasn't quite meant to be, but I'm looking forward to having a crack at it again."
