Rhys McClenaghan prepares for Dancing with the Stars closing

Olympic gold medal gymnast Rhys McClenaghan “noticed a problem and accepted it” when he determined to swap the pommel horse for the Paso Doble by taking part in Irish broadcaster RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars.

This Sunday, all of his exhausting work will come to finish when McClenaghan and his accomplice Laura Nolan dance within the closing of the competitors.

Forward of it, the 25-year-old from County Down has returned to his house health club the place he was greeted by dozens of younger, aspiring gymnasts.

He stated it was “all the time good” to return to his hometown of Newtownards “and simply to see the help from everyone, to see everybody who has watched the present, who has been voting each week”.

Final summer time, McClenaghan won an Olympic gold on the pommel horse in Paris.

He stated this newest problem has been totally completely different.

“It has been lengthy days, I feel the largest problem for me is balancing the gymnastics coaching,” he advised BBC Information NI.

He stated he had been dancing for six or seven hours a day, earlier than coaching for 4 or 5 hours within the night.

“It is not very sustainable,” he defined.

“I am glad the competitors’s coming to an finish however I am additionally glad that I’ve had the expertise.”

Rhys stated his a few years of expertise in gymnastics has served him effectively on the present.

“My self-discipline and motivation that I’ve actually realized from gymnastics has definitely crossed over to the dancing,” he stated.

“It has pushed me by some robust days, it is made me benefit from the efficiency of all of it as effectively and on the similar time some new challenges have hit me within the face as effectively.

“However that is the explanation I did the present, I noticed a problem and I accepted it.”

Rhys was joined by his dancing accomplice Laura at his house health club in Newtownards and she or he described him as a “dream scholar”.

“He actually has, from begin to end, thrown himself into it and believed and trusted in all the pieces,” she stated.

She stated it was unbelievable the extent the gymnast has reached.

“Not solely the extent of tips and lifts, which we knew he may do however the degree of dance he has created has simply been unbelievable.

“I do not suppose I will ever have one other accomplice like him.

“He is so unbelievable and galvanizing.”

Rhys stated he had not been certain if he would attain the ultimate, however stated the actual fact he has made it this far and other people proceed to look at and help him is “a job effectively carried out”.

“It’s extremely completely different to a gymnastics competitors the place it actually comes all the way down to your efficiency and the rating that you just get,” he stated.

“It is a public vote – it is half the vote every week and even coming all the way down to the ultimate it is solely the general public vote.

“So it’s extremely a special sort of competitors.

“However the help has been nice and I imply – at this time there have been children coming in as Spiderman as a result of it was a dream of mine as a child to be Spiderman, so to have the ability to carry out it dwell on TV within the type of a dance was a particular feeling.”

All 4 {couples} taking part in Sunday’s closing will full two dances.

Rhys and Laura confirmed they’d be bringing again the Spiderman themed dance from film week the place they had been awarded 10 factors from every of the judges. They can even carry out a freestyle dance.

Rhys stated bringing the successful “glitterball” trophy house could be a “very nice illustration for gymnastics” and for individuals in his hometown.

“I used to be positively out of my consolation zone this whole present and simply accepting that you just’re part of doing one thing particular, it is a good message to have.”

Tracy McClenaghan, Rhys’s mum, stated she didn’t suppose she may very well be any prouder of her son.

“We’re actually excited, it is one thing utterly completely different for us.

“We’re used to sports activities occasions to cheer on a gymnast and now swiftly we’re at dance occasions.

“I do not even understand how this occurred.”

Tracy admitted that when Rhys began the competitors she didn’t suppose he would attain the ultimate however now she believes he can win.

She stated she would “like to have the glitterball again in Newtownards”.

“I had no clue he may even dance.

“He stated to me a number of months in the past ‘I’ll do Dancing with the Stars’ and I checked out him and stated ‘are you able to dance?’ and he stated: ‘I do not know, I am certain I will choose it up’.

“That is Rhys’ typical perspective actually, he simply loves a problem.”

Suzie Allen’s daughters Summer season and Savannah attend gymnastics lessons at Rhys’ house health club.

She stated each Rhys and Laura are good position fashions.

“The women go to Origin gymnastics, however in addition they dance, in order that they love what he is doing, they’re going to hopefully be capable of do [so] sooner or later as effectively and be as match as him.”