Gymast Gibbs focused on Rio (From Surrey Comet)

Gymast Gibbs focused on Rio

10:24am Friday 6th November 2009

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Rising star Thomas Gibbs, from St Margaret’s has vowed to follow in the footsteps of Olympian Dan Keatings after watching him claim World Championship silver at London’s O2 Arena.

The 15-year-old Tiffin Grammar School pupil went one better than Keatings by guiding Great Britain to top spot at the Luigi Bertolazzi Memorial tournament in Italy earlier this year.

Gibbs is one of 250 youngsters in the UK who will receive £1,000 funding from the Lloyds Local Heroes scheme.

He said: “I went to the World Gymnastics Championships in London for three days, which was really inspiring for me.

“It was great to see people like Dan Keatings doing so well for Britain and, hopefully, I could be there competing myself one day.

“It made me want to work even harder than I have done in the past.

“My ultimate goal is to get to the Olympics, but I think London may be a bit too soon.

“Rio 1016 is what I am targeting and working towards. It seems ages away but it will come around really quickly.”

And Gibbs, who shared the British U14’s title with Frank Baines in 2008, is determined to make his mark at Youth level this year.

“I will be entering at under-16 this time so it is another step up but I’m really looking forward to going to it,” said Gibbs.

“My main target there is to get a medal and hopefully show everyone out there what I am capable of doing.

“There aren’t many competitions at the moment so any chance I can get to compete is really exciting.

“I just want to keep on improving and if I do that then hopefully I will realise my dream.”

Lloyds TSB is providing £1,000 to more than 270 emerging young sportspeople identified each year across Britain, in the run up to London 2012 and beyond. Visit Lloydstsb.com/Localheroes

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