In recent days he might have gone viral for debunking a fake news story, but for Rhys McClenaghan the only attention he’ll want over the coming week is for his performance.

In Tokyo tomorrow the 22-year-old Newtownards man will kick off his campaign to win Ireland its first ever Olympic medal in gymnastics, going in qualification for the pommel horse.

His routine will take less than 60 seconds and at the end of it, McClenaghan will be given a total score combining the difficulty of his routine and his execution of it.

One mistake and it could all be over. If he makes it through in the top eight, he’ll face a long wait before the final, which is slated for Sunday week. As always, he’s feeling bullish about his chances. “Literally couldn’t be more ready,” he wrote on Twitter yesterday. “Time to rely on my preparations.”

As the days ticked by to his Olympic debut, McClenaghan used him time in the athletes’ village in a creative manner, posting a video of himself jumping on his bed to prove a story claiming cardboard bed frames were used to prevent athletes having sex was utterly false.

The video was viewed more than 3.5 million times with McClenaghan generating stories in leading news outlets around the world.

He is one of two Irish gymnasts in Tokyo, with Cork 19-year-old Meg Ryan taking part in the women’s all-around qualification on Sunday, the second Irish female gymnast to ever compete at the Games.

McClenaghan remains the sole Irish gymnast to win a World Championships medal, taking bronze in the pommel horse in 2019.

A wrist injury hampered him at the Europeans in April but he resolved afterwards to make amends in Tokyo. “When I have an Olympic gold medal around my neck, I can look back and laugh,” he said.