Rhys McClenaghan crowned Dancing with the Stars winner in showstopping final
Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan were crowned the winners of Dancing with the Stars' eighth season
Olympic gold medallist Rhys McClenaghan has won the eighth season of
"I don't have the words," he said as he lifted the glitterball with his professional dance partner Laura Nolan.
The 25-year-old from Co Down, who last summer won an Olympic gold medal for Ireland on the pommel horse, has consistently impressed the judges frequently walking away with a perfect score of 40.
During the final, judge Arthur Gourounlian commented that the Olympian had movement and rhythm "in his DNA", while judge Brian Redmond said he believed he had become “a real-life superhero” during his stint in the competition.
His final performances - a Charleston and showdance - earned him two more perfect scores of 40.
Head judge Loraine Barry bowed at the Olympian's feet following his final dance.
"It's the combination of strength and softness.. from that first handstand... it was, for me, the outstanding showdance of tonight," she said.
“How do you even comment on that?," judge Karen Byrne added. "Who am I comment? You can come up here next year."
Gourounlian said it had been an honour to watch the Newtownards native dance week after week.
The other finalists tonight included fellow Olympian Jack Woolley, actor Danny O’Carroll and content creator Kayleigh Trappe.
Each of the final couples performed one routine from previous weeks, chosen by the judges, along with the final's classic showdance, which can be a combination of numerous dances and offers celebrities the opportunity to play to their own strengths and show off everything they've learned over the past eleven weeks.
O’Carroll and his professional partner Salome Chachua kicked off the final with a second go of their Charleston.
Barry said the performance showed just how much the trust between the pair has built up over the past ten weeks, while Redmond said the Judges’ Choice was all about small improvements.
“That was better in so many small ways,” he commented.
It received an almost perfect score of 39.
He scored also 37 for his showdance with judge Redmond saying he believed it summed up O'Carroll as a person.
"It was full of determination, character, pure old-honest hardwork.. That's what you’ve shown.
Taekwondo athlete Jack Woolley and his dancer partner Alex Vladimirov received perfect 40s for both of their dances in Sunday's final.
First, they recreated their stunning American Smooth to by The Wolfe Tones, with judge Gourounlian saying the performance “will go down in Dancing with the Stars’ history”.
His show dance to Lady Gaga's was equally mesmerising.
“I truly have no words left," judge Gourounlian said, adding "Actions speak louder than words" before getting to his feet and simply applauding.
Finally, content creator and former teacher Kayleigh Trappe, who has been paired up with Ervinas Merfeldas, was told her salsa in the final proved just how much she had grown.
“To me, you have found your wings,” Gourounlian said.
Her showdance to Taylor Swift's "encapsulated everything we wanted to see," judge Redmond added.
She scored 38 for both of her dances, earning her first 10s of the competition.
