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Neil Thomas (gymnast)
Encyclopedia
Neil Roderick Thomas MBE is an English artistic gymnast who experienced most of his success in the floor exercises
. An inspiration to many young British gymnasts, he was former world silver medalist and Commonwealth Games Champion and one of the most successful British gymnasts to date. He was born in Chirk
, Wrexham
in Wales
on April 6, 1968.
Winner of three gold medals spanning two Commonwealth Games
, Thomas also added a world silver medal on the floor in 1993, 1994 as well as finishing 20th at the [Barcelona Olympics].
He won a Commonwealth gold medal on floor at Auckland and the vault bronze medal at European Championships
in 1990. In 1993 he won the UK’s first World Championship medal in Artistic Gymnastics
(silver)
1993. A year later he won a gold medal on floor and became All-around champion and also won the silver medal on floor at World Championships in Brisbane.
Neil Thomas now works as a development officer in the north west of England. He is a member of the Liverpool Gymnastics Club.
He was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1995 New Year Honours for services to gymnastics and in recognition of his near single-handed achievement in putting British men's gymnastics on the map. He is cousin to TV journalist Owen Spencer-Thomas
who also awarded the MBE.
Floor (gymnastics)
In gymnastics, the floor refers to a specially prepared exercise surface, which is considered an apparatus. It is used by both male and female gymnasts. The event in gymnastics performed on floor is called floor exercise. The English abbreviation for the event in gymnastics scoring is FX.A spring...
. An inspiration to many young British gymnasts, he was former world silver medalist and Commonwealth Games Champion and one of the most successful British gymnasts to date. He was born in Chirk
Chirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
, Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
on April 6, 1968.
Winner of three gold medals spanning two Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, Thomas also added a world silver medal on the floor in 1993, 1994 as well as finishing 20th at the [Barcelona Olympics].
He won a Commonwealth gold medal on floor at Auckland and the vault bronze medal at European Championships
European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships are an artistic gymnastics championships for male gymnasts from European countries organised by the European Union of Gymnastics.-List:-External links:*...
in 1990. In 1993 he won the UK’s first World Championship medal in Artistic Gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
(silver)
1993. A year later he won a gold medal on floor and became All-around champion and also won the silver medal on floor at World Championships in Brisbane.
Neil Thomas now works as a development officer in the north west of England. He is a member of the Liverpool Gymnastics Club.
He was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1995 New Year Honours for services to gymnastics and in recognition of his near single-handed achievement in putting British men's gymnastics on the map. He is cousin to TV journalist Owen Spencer-Thomas
Owen Spencer-Thomas
Owen Robert Spencer-Thomas MBE is perhaps best known as a television and radio news journalist over three decades, but he has also undertaken a wide range of philanthropric work as volunteer charity fundraiser, pioneer and campaigner for people with autism and other disabilities...
who also awarded the MBE.