Wolverhampton gymnast Kristian Thomas strikes gold

Kristian Thomas was today confident he could land a place in the Team GB squad for the Olympic Games after a "perfect" display in the London Prepares gymnastics test event at the North Greenwich arena.

The 22-year-old from Wolverhampton, who trains at Earls Gymnastics Club in Halesowen, won gold and bronze in the individual apparatus finals last night.

Thomas saved his best performance until last when he produced a clean high bar routine to score an impressive 14.933 and clinch gold while fellow Briton Daniel Purvis was in fourth place and Daniel Keatings finished seventh.

Thomas also finished third in the vault after a solid second effort saw him average 15.849 and claim the bronze medal behind winner Igor Radivilov of the Ukraine and Steven Legendre from the United States.

"It was the perfect way to end a pretty perfect competition," said Thomas.

"I'm over the moon with the way it went and the performance so I couldn't be happier. It was great to experience (being on the podium) as a team and then as an individual it was just perfect.

"The atmosphere was just unbelievable. To hear the national anthem playing in the Olympic arena with everyone cheering was a brilliant end to a great week for the whole men's team.

"I've just got to keep working hard now and show consistency is a key element, and I think as long as I continue doing that I'm sure I'll be in the final five (for the Olympics)."

Thomas also won bronze on Thursday in the floor final.