Olympic pommel horse gold medallist Rhys McClenaghan has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming European Championships in Leipzig because of an unspecified injury.
As a result the 25-year-old will not be able to complete a hat-trick of European titles to go with the gold medals won in Paris last summer and at the previous two World Championships.
McClenaghan opted to take a break from the sport following his Olympics success, though he was not fully out of the public gaze and took part in RTÉ's Dancing with the Stars, where he was crowned the eventual winner at the end of the 12-week show.
It is understood the injury is not too serious and McClenaghan will now focus on the defence of his world title, with those championships taking place in Indonesia in October.
Outlining the current situation, the Newtownards native posted on Instagram: "I tried my best to push through preparation but an injury kept holding me back.
"I chose to prioritise being healthy and recovering for future competitions this year and be sure that I can put out my best work yet.
"I may not be retaining my European title but the path to being the GOAT is still very clear."
