Gymnastics

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the Emirates Arena

Image source, Getty Images

Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan all but secured his passage to the Commonwealth Games pommel horse final as he posted the highest score of 14.500 after a flawless display with his new routine.

All eyes in the Emirates Arena were on McClenaghan and he delivered, even celebrating with a jig after stepping off the apparatus.

The 27-year-old tops the qualifying standings after two subdivisions which all but ensures he will be in Monday's final.

Confirmation of his place in the final will come after the third subdivision of qualifying, which takes place at 17:30 BST, but McClenaghan is already well clear of those closest to him.

McClenaghan, who missed the entirety of 2025 after shoulder surgery, earned an difficult score of 5.500 and an execution score of 9.000, both the highest so far in qualifying.

He is aiming to win his third Commonwealth Games medal after picking up gold in 2018 and silver in 2022.

Image source, Getty Images

Team Northern Ireland gymnast Chester Enriquez has been ruled out of competing at the Commonwealth Games through injury.

The 18-year-old, who was set to compete in the vault and showcase his floor routine, was injured in training and will miss the his first Games in Glasgow.

Enriquez became Ireland's first-ever medallist in the European Youth Olympics Festival when he claimed bronze in Croatia last year.

"Knowing how hard Chester and his coaches have worked to get to this stage we're heartbroken for them all," said Conal Heatley, Team NI's Chef de Mission.

"Injuries are unfortunately a cruel part of performance sport. We wish Chester a speedy recovery and we'll continue to provide support as appropriate."

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Inpho

The first day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games is upon us and it's a busy enough Friday for various Team Northern Ireland athletes in Glasgow.

It's an early start Gary Kelly who is in action in the men's singles against New Zealand's Shannon McIlroy at 08:30 BST after his win against Niue on Thursday.

Shauna O'Neill and Chloe Wilson will face Niue in the women's pairs at 11:20 after their victory on Thursday against Singapore.

At the Tollcross Swimming Centre, it is a morning full of heats from 10:30.

Victoria Catterson will be in the women's 400m freestyle while Grace Davison and Lottie Cullen will get under way in the women's 200m backstroke.

Conor Ferguson and Paddy Johnston will be in the 50m backstroke with Alana Burns-Aiken in the 50m butterfly and Adam Bradley in the 100m breaststroke.

Barry McClements will go in the men's S10 100m butterfly while Team NI will take part in both the men's and women's 100m freestyle relay heats.

Should the various swimmers progress through their heats, the semi-finals or finals of all those events will take place that evening from 19:00.

At the SEC Centre, one of Team NI's boxing contingent will be in action.

Louis Rooney fights in the men's bantamweight 55kg round of 32 against Mathealira Seholoholo from Lesotho at 11:45.

From 13:00 at the Emirates Arena, Olympic champion Rhys McClenaghan alongside Ewan McAteer and Eamon Montgomery are in qualification action.

Image source, Getty Images

Olympic gold medallist in the pommel horse Rhys McClenaghan headlines a four-strong artistic gymnastics team for Northern Ireland.

The 26-year-old is the only gymnast to become Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth champion on a single apparatus.

McClenaghan was unable to compete at all in 2025 due to a shoulder injury that required surgery, but returned to action earlier this year and won gold in a World Cup event in Antalya in March.

He won a gold medal on the Gold Coast in 2018 and the silver in Birmingham in 2022.

Eamon Montgomery finished fifth with his floor routine in Birmingham in 2022 and won a silver medal at the World Cup in Antalya in March.

Ewan McAteer is back for a third Games after finishing sixth in the vault final four years ago.

Chester Enriquez will make his Commonwealth Games bow in Glasgow in the vault. The 18-year-old became Ireland's first-ever medallist in the European Youth Olympics Festival as he claimed bronze in Croatia last year.

Image source, Getty Images

Olympic gold medallist Rhys McClenaghan has been named on a six-strong men's artistic gymnastics team to represent Ireland at August's European Championships in Croatia.

McClenaghan, who won his first gold medal since recovering from a shoulder injury at March's World Cup event, is joined by fellow medallists from Antalya: Belfast's Eamon Montgomery who picked up a silver on the floor exercise and James Hickey who came home with bronze behind McClenaghan on the pommel horse.

Also named is Newtownabbey's Chester Enriquez who was a gold medallist at last year's European Youth Olympics Festival.

Adam Steele and Daniel Fox are also included for the competition that runs from 19-23 August in Arena Zagreb, Croatia.

On the four-strong junior team, Matthew Hickey - younger brother of James - is joined by Craigavon's Finlay Hazelton, plus Robert Ward and Evan Kinsella.