After being something of a gymnastics prodigy since the age of six, many feel like this is Rhys McClenaghan’s time for Olympic glory.
The Newtownards man, who turns 25 on Sunday, heads to the Paris Olympics as the back-to-back world champion on the pommel horse.
He has also been a Commonwealth champion for Northern Ireland and three-time European champion for Ireland.
His reputation has never been higher, and now he heads to Paris as a top medal hope for Team Ireland.
Few people know McClenaghan as well as Eamon Montgomery, his training partner and friend.
Three years his junior, Montgomery has known McClenaghan since he took up the sport at nine years of age and says even then you could “single him out” amongst his peers.
“When I first started gymnastics, he would have been a few years older than me. I remember watching him and seeing him do skills that I wanted to do,” Montgomery said.
“There were maybe five or six people in his group and you could single him out as being one of the more talented ones.
“He understood it the best even at that age nobody is anything special and it’s about fun and enjoyment. We still are really.”