Four going in Wolverhampton Hall of Fame

The multi-medal-winning gymnast is joined by cyclist Stuart Dangerfield, Winter Olympian Michael Booton and Paralympian Mark Farnell on the list of this year’s inductees.

The Hall of Fame is the brainchild of Wolverhampton’s Sports Advisory Council chairman Peter Holmes MBE, and was launched in association with the city council in 1999.

And since then a host of sporting legends have been recognised including Wolves great Billy Wright, Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis, cyclist Hugh Porter and former England women’s cricket captain Rachael Heyhoe Flint.

Holmes is the man who has put forward the nominations each year since the Hall of Fame’s introduction and he believes this one is the most exciting yet.

“I have been researching sports people from Wolverhampton for a good many years and I am delighted to have unearthed a Winter Olympian,” he said. “I knew Wolverhampton has been represented at the world’s top sporting events but I didn’t think we had been represented at the Winter Olympics.

“I was delighted to find that out and I am really excited about this year’s inductees. It’s a wonderful list.

“The Hall of Fame shines a beacon of light on the city and its great sportsmen and women.

“When you look at the list of names, it’s a list to make any Wulfrunian proud.”

All four have confirmed their attendance for the event, which will take place at Hall of Fame’s home at Aldersley Leisure Village on Saturday, September 22, with Dangerfield flying in from his home in Australia.

Thomas, who was educated at St Edmunds RC Academy, won numerous medals on the world stage during a hugely successful career. He won team golds representing Great Britain at the 2014 Commwealth Games, the 2016 European Championships and individual gold on the floor in 2015 Euros in France.

And the 29-year-old was part of the team that claimed Olympic bronze at the 2012 London Games.

But even Thomas has to concede defeat in the medal stakes to Farnell.

Born in Willenhall in 1961, Farnell is a visually-impaired athlete and the first Paralympian to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

He won the Paralympic Games marathon in Barcelona in 1992 and struck gold in the World Para Athletics Champions in Sweden in 1986 (5000m) and the Netherlands in 1990 (marathon). He has also won 11 European Championship golds in a staggering total of 25 medals overall on the world stage.

Dangerfield, 46, was also born in Willenhall and is a lifelong member of Wolverhampton Wheelers.

A former Pool Hayes School pupil, Dangerfield represented Great Britain at the 2004 Olympics in Atlanta, four Commonwealth Games and four World Time Trials Championships.

He retired from competition in 2009 and now lives with his family in Sydney, Australia.

Booton is the only Hall of Fame inductee to have competed in the Winter Olympics. He joined Wolverhampton & Bilston Athletics Club in 1976 and represented them in the European Clubs Cup in Verona, Italy.

In 1989, he answered an advert in Athletics Weekly to train with the Armed Forces team to qualify for the GB bobsleigh team.

He competed for Great Britain in both the two and four-man bob in European and World Championships in 1991, and then took part alongside Seam Olsen in the two-man bob in the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, in 1992.