Former SERC Student awarded Rising Star Award at Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards 2018

Former SERC Level 3 Sport student Rhys McClenaghan has been awarded the Rising Star Award at the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards 2018.

Taking place at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, the awards attracted some of the biggest names in local sport including attendance from emerging stars of the future, World champions and legends.

The brand-new Rising Star award recognises the up-and-coming talents of one of Northern Ireland’s top young stars expected to make a big impact in the coming years. Rhys was also nominated for the Sports Star of the Year Award and the Dr Malcolm Brodie Player of the Year Awards categories.  

The 19-year-old gymnast has had a standout year, first stunning Olympic pommel horse champion Max Whitlock to win gold at the Commonwealth Games in Australia and he also became the first Irish gymnast to win a European Championship medal. Rhys was also named 2018 RTE Young Sportsperson of the Year award back in December.

Rhys has recently recovered from shoulder surgery which unfortunately meant missing the World Championships in Doha but has returned to training as he sets his sights on future championship gold.

Rhys expressed his gratitude at winning the award through Twitter saying “Very happy to have come away with the Rising Star award at the Belfast Telegraph sports awards tonight. Very inspiring to see such great sporting talent come from Northern Ireland!”

Current SERC Level 3 Sports Massage Therapy student and three-time Paralympic gold medallist, World-Para Swimming gold medallist and three-time European gold medallist Bethany Firth MBE was also nominated for the Sportsperson with a Disability Award. 

SERC Deputy Head of School for the School of Applied Science, Sport and Access to Education Lynda Robinson said that “I couldn’t be more proud of Rhys on yet another sporting achievement. I think he will be a real inspiration for the current students and for them to see what can be achieved through hard work; confidence and determination is great.”