McClenaghan pleased Glasgow will host Commonwealth Games

Olympic golden medallist Rhys McClenaghan said he "couldn't deliberation of a amended place" for nan Commonwealth Games to return spot than Glasgow.

It has been confirmed that nan Scottish metropolis will big a scaled backmost Commonwealth Games successful 2026 aft nan authorities of Victoria pulled retired of hosting past year.

McClenaghan, who won metallic successful Birmingham successful 2022 and golden successful nan Gold Coast successful 2018, is delighted that nan games will spell up successful 2 years' time.

"It’s a awesome title you get to experience, and nan Commonwealth Games will ever beryllium 1 I look guardant to," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I person nan fond memories of Birmingham and besides nan Gold Coast and I look guardant to getting different chance of competing successful 2026."

McClenaghan won his first European golden badge successful nan pommel equine successful nan Hydro successful Glasgow successful 2018 and believes nan metropolis has nan infrastructure to big gymnastics events, if it is 1 of nan 10 sports included.

"My first European title was successful Glasgow successful nan Hydro and I person astonishing memories there, erstwhile I deliberation of Glasgow I deliberation of gymnastics, and I couldn’t deliberation of a amended spot for nan games to be."

The 25-year-old besides admitted that among nan galore benefits to his profession that nan Commonwealth Games has provided, getting to correspond Northern Ireland is 1 of nan highlights.

"For me, nan Commonwealth Games was a existent sling changeable for my career, it was my first ever awesome title triumph and it really gave maine nan assurance moving guardant to return further titles," explained McClenaghan.

"For group looking to suffice for nan Olympic Games it is simply a awesome halfway people betwixt nan past Olympics and nan adjacent one.

"It is nan only title I get to correspond Northern Ireland truthful it’s an important one."

Chairman of nan Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council Stephen Martin said that nan announcement that Glasgow has stepped successful to big nan games was a "relief".

"Well done to Glasgow and good done to Commonwealth Games Scotland for uncovering this innovative solution, utilizing existing accommodation and infrastructure, world people arenas and accommodation," he added.

"It will beryllium different, but it is very exciting. We're looking guardant to it because disconnected nan backmost of Birmingham, we want to build connected it.

"[Birmingham] was our champion ever games; 18 medals and 11th successful nan badge array truthful it is awesome to get this solution complete nan line."