Commonwealth Games 2018: Max Whitlock stunned as Rhys McClenaghan claims Northern Ireland’s first medal

Round-up: Duncan Scott won the men's 100m freestyle for his fourth medal, and Scotland secured another gold when Mark Stewart triumphed in the men’s points race in cycling

Rhys McClenaghan won gold on the pommel horse (Getty Images)

Rhys McClenaghan won Northern Ireland’s first medal of the Commonwealth Games with pommel horse gold ahead of England’s Olympic champion Max Whitlock. A stunning routine from McClenaghan saw him relegate Whitlock to silver; their scores matched, but the 18-year-old from Antrim took the title because his routine had a greater execution level.

The Englishman had been hoping to replicate his two gold medals in an hour from Rio, but an error-strewn display had earlier seen him finish sixth in the the floor final as Scotland’s Daniel Purvis took bronze behind champion Marios Georgiou of Cyprus.

Whitlock said: “This will push me a bit more and give me a bit more fire that I need and I’m looking forward to getting back.” McClenaghan added: “This is a new chapter in my career as we build towards the next Olympics. It gives me new found confidence.”

Courtney Tulloch won rings gold ahead of England team-mate Nile Wilson, and Georgia-Mae Fenton took the women’s uneven bars title, on a day when there were 10 gold medals for the Home Nations – and which also saw an engagement for basketball players Jamell Anderson and Georgia Jones after England’s men beat Cameroon.

Scotland’s Duncan Scott won the men’s 100m freestyle for his fourth medal of the Games – and added a fifth with bronze in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay. The 20-year-old surged to victory in 48.02 seconds to beat a star-studded field, while England’s Siobhan O’Connor was dominant in retaining the women’s 200m individual medley title.

Paralympic medallist Alice Tai finished with silver in the women’s S9 100m freestyle. And Adam Peaty’s bid for 50m breaststroke glory remains on track as he qualified quickest for Monday’s final in a Games record of 26.49. Australia’s relay win rounded off the night as James Guy anchored England to silver ahead of Scotland in third.

Mark Stewart celebrates winning Commonwealth gold (Getty)

Scotland secured another gold when Mark Stewart triumphed in the men’s points race in track cycling. Stewart lapped the field three times to cap victory and England’s Ethan Hayter took bronze. Callum Skinner took 1km time-trial bronze and Neah Evans scratch race silver as Scotland claimed two more medals at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane. England’s Emily Kay took bronze in the scratch race.

Race walker Tom Bosworth and hammer thrower Nick Miller won England’s first medals of the athletics programme. Miller won gold with a best of 80.26 metres, as Scotland’s Mark Dry took bronze. Bosworth earlier had to settle for 20km silver, while Wales’ Bethan Davies took bronze in the women’s event.

Para-athletics world champion Olivia Breen added Commonwealth T38 long jump gold.

Asha Philip progressed from the women’s 100m heats and semi-finals to Monday’s final, while her England team-mate Adam Gemili advanced to the corresponding men’s final behind favourite Yohan Blake of Jamaica.

Scotland’s first of three gold medals from the day came in bowls, when Ronald Duncan, Derek Oliver and Darren Burnett won the men’s triples ahead of Australia. Wales’ Laura Daniels took silver in the women’s singles.

English pair James Willstrop and Sarah-Jane Perry reached their respective squash singles finals. Emily Godley of England won the women’s 75kg weightlifting, Laura Hughes of Wales took bronze and England’s Sarah Davies took silver in the 69kg event.

More English medals came when shooter Amber Hill was second in the women’s skeet final and with bronze in the women’s team table tennis.

PA