Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan has finished out of the medals in the pommel horse final at the Tokyo Olympics.

He lost control after just ten seconds of his 50 second routine when one of his fingers got caught under the handle of the horse. He was forced to dismount and re-start the routine which effectively scuppered his chances of a podium finish. Second time around it went without a hitch but the damage was done.

The 22-year Newtownards native, who was the youngest of was eight finalists in the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, finished seventh with a score of 13.1 consisting of 6.4 for degree of difficulty and 6.7 for execution.

He failed to reproduce the form he showed in the qualification round a week ago when he scored 15.26.

As a result, he was the second last to go. He looked composed and assured as he checked the apparatus, but disaster struck after his ten seconds when he lost control and was forced to dismount and start again – a fate which also befell the Chinese finalist Wei Sun, who was last with a score of 13.06

This is the second successive competition that McClenaghan has come off the Pommel Horse. He looked poised to be in the medals at the European championships earlier this year but fell off as well.

Defending Olympic champion Max Whitlock (28) from Britain was the first to do his routine and he set an extraordinarily high standard with a score of 15.58 – consisting of 7.0 for difficulty and 8.5 for execution - which ultimately proved a winning one.

Perhaps the brilliance of his routine unnerved the rest of the field perhaps ultimately it proved enough to secure a second gold medal with Chia Kai Lee from Taiwan (15.4) was second and local hero Kaya Kazunma claimed the bronze with a score of 14.9

McClenaghan spoke to RTÉ in the immediate aftermath and gave a hugely impressive interview considering what had just transpired.

"I know that I’ll feel disappointment with this performance but that’s ok, I feel like when I do feel disappointment, that’s when I’m more motivated than ever, I’m more hungry than ever.

"I’m definitely the type of person to turn a negative into a positive and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to leave this arena with this incredible experience, becoming an Olympian, becoming first Irish gymnast to be an Olympic finalist and that is something very special to me.

“I will be more hungry. This is a very early chapter in my gymnastics career. It didn’t go my way today. One finger placement is all it took for me to knock me off the horse. That’s the finest margins that are in this game.

“I know I’ll come back a way better gymnast, a way better man."

Speaking to media in Tokyo afterwards, he added:

"I was disappointed with my performance today. It could have gone a lot better of course, just that one finger got caught under the handle.

"That one finger got caught, and that’s the finest of margins in gymnastics, where that one finger placement wrong can throw you off course. It’s the beauty of the sport as well, the fact that it makes it so exciting. I’m excited to get back out there and just be better than ever.

"I want to continue to raise the bar, be the first in a lot more things. Break down those barriers for the younger generation coming through, behind me, and surpass my achievements hopefully.

"That’s one of the main reasons I’m doing this sport, I’m proud to be here and proud to be an Olympian."