Top form takes Thomas to Delhi

REDLAND gymnast Thomas Pichler has made a dramatic comeback from injury to win selection in the Australian men's gymnastics team to compete at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi from October 3-14.

Thomas, 23, from Cleveland, had all of 2009 off after an ACL knee reconstruction following a skiing accident in Austria.

But he excelled at his first major competition back since surgery, the Australian Gymnastics Championships in Canberra on July 12-18.

After leading defending Australian champion Samuel Offord by a full point going into the final event of the all-around competition, Thomas was beaten by the narrow margin of 172.400 to 171.350 points.

"I had a really good comp," Thomas said.

"I finished second all-around. I was first on the floor exercises and parallel bars, third on the horizontal bars, and third in the team.

"I got five medals all up and gained selection to the Commonwealth Games and World Championships."

This was the best result Thomas has had at any Australian Championships.

Thomas said the five-member Australian men's gymnastics team (the other team members are Phillipe Rizzo, Joshua Jefferis, Prashanth Sellathurai and Sam Offord, all Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games competitors) was confident of doing well at this year's Games.

Thomas said he wasn't sure what sections he would be competing in yet.

"I'm hoping to do the all-around. I'll definitely be doing floor, vaults, parallel bars and horizontal.

"We've got a good strong team together and hope to go well in the floor exercises, team and all-around competition.

"Our toughest competition will definitely be England and Canada - they're strong in the team competition."

Australia will be chasing their first team gold in Delhi.

Thomas, who was born with a hole in the heart, started gymnastics at age six.

His previous gymnastics career highlights include national wins, being named in the 2005, 2006 and 2007 World Championships squads, and gaining selection for the 2008 Olympics training squad.

His hopes of competing at the 2008 Olympics were dashed when the Australian men's team failed to qualify at the World Championships in Germany.

He was the best of the Australians in the floor routine.

Thomas said he was also looking forward to competing at the 2010 World Gymnastics Championships, in Rotterdam, Netherlands straight after the Games, from October 16-24.

Thomas trains at the Queensland Academy of Sport at Chandler under coach Sergei Chinkar.

When not doing gymnastics, Thomas is studying a Bachelor of Business, majoring in marketing and management.

You can track Thomas's progress leading up to the Commonwealth Games and World Championships and join the TP Fan Club on his new website www.thomas pichler.com.au

Gymnastics Queensland is presenting a training event to see Thomas off before he leaves for the Games.

Thomas and younger gymnasts from the Queensland High Performance Centre will display their biggest skills and then meeting and greeting fans following the event.

The event will be held on Sunday, August 22 at 11.30am at the Sleeman Sports Complex in the Gymnastics Training Hall.

Entry is free so bring the whole family.

John Clark, Bayside Bulletin,  17/08/2010