Rhys McClenaghan’s time on Dancing with the Stars could contribute to more Olympic glory for Ireland, the gymnastics star has hinted.
McClenaghan brought home Ireland’s first-ever Olympic gymnastics medal from the Paris Games last year, winning gold in the pommel horse.
And the double World Champion is hoping to compete in other disciplines as well as defending his pommel horse title at the LA Games in 2028, with his eye on the floor routine particularly.
Pic: Kyran O’Brien/kobpix
While DWTS viewers have noted the Co. Down man’s gymnastics elegance and coordination on the dance floor, it- seems he may be able to take something back the other way too.
Rhys told the Irish Mail on Sunday he is ‘definitely looking at doing the floor exercise in the next competition’, and is taking cross-disciplinary advice from his pro dance partner, Laura Nolan.
‘I’ve actually been showing Laura some of my floor exercise moves, and kind of asking her how I can make it look a bit nicer, even just the transition skills,’ he revealed. ‘Making the floor routine look like a nice piece of art, I think, is an important part of gymnastics. So I’ve been asking for her expertise on that.
And Nolan joked that the Olympian is ‘definitely going to take the rhinestones, sparkles and the [fake] tan’ over to Los Angeles as well.’
DWTS contestants over the years have been quick to highlight the gruelling schedule and physical toll involved in preparing for Sunday nights.
Incredibly, Rhys is still doing five hours of gymnastics training on top of six hours of dancing every day. ‘I haven’t had a full day off, whether that be with dancing or the gymnastics,’ the ‘tired’ athlete noted
‘I would see the Sunday as my rest day, in a way, because it’s the one day where I’m just in the one place – I don’t have gymnastics training that day.
‘But it’s really nice and enjoyable; the one day of the week I can fully relax and enjoy the performance first and foremost, but then
also just kind of relax outside of that dance as well.’
The 25-year-old said he is ‘finding an hour and a half in the day to chill out… in the car’ – but insisted he is ‘enjoying it’.
And there’s more going on in the background – the gymnastics sensation will soon move into the house he was seen renovating
along with his father in an RTÉ documentary broadcast before the Olympics last year.
‘My dad’s been teaching me a good few things about joinery since I’ve been doing up the house with him,’ he told the MoS. ‘But
that’s been a really nice experience actually, and the house is coming together. So I’d say by the end of the show we’ll have it finished and start to move things in.’
He and Nolan will dance the American Smooth to Nathan Carter’s cover of Wagon Wheel for country night this week.
