EARLS Gymnastic Club were basking in the glory of 24-year-old member Kristian Thomas this week after he claimed a bronze medal at the World Gymnastic Championships in Belgium.

Thomas followed up his Olympic bronze by becoming the first-ever British gymnast to win a World medal after pulling out all the stops on his favourite apparatus, the vault.

The medal was all the more sweeter as Thomas was a major doubt for the competition after fracturing his leg last March — an injury which forced him out of the European Championships.

Thomas admitted he wasn’t even certain of making the British team a few weeks ago, but his concern proved unfounded.

He said: “It’s been a roller-coaster of a year. Just to make the final was my first aim, but to nail the first vault in the way I did was something special and I couldn’t be happier.

“I’m over the moon by the way things have worked out.”

Thomas compiled a total of 15, 233 which was bettered only by South Korean winner Yang Hak-Seon who scored 15,533 while American Steve Legendre snapped up silver with 15,249.

Thomas, who spends much of his time training at Lilleshall these days added: “British gymnasts are now competing with the best in the world and I’m just delighted to have helped contribute to that success.”