Thomas initially played basketball at Bishop Michael Eldon School in Freeport Bahamas, before taking up high jump in January 2006 while studying at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri, where he played on the University's basketball team.[4] He tried high jump for the first time when challenged by members of the track and field team, who were reacting to his claims about his ability to slam dunk. Thomas cleared 6'6" (1.98 m) on his first attempt and 7' (2.13 m) on his third ever jump. The athletes then sought the head track coach Lane Lohr, who entered Thomas in a meet two days later at Eastern Illinois University. At the meet he cleared 7'3.25" (2.22 m), on his seventh-ever jump.[5][6]
In March 2006, Thomas placed second at the 2006 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships with a height of 7'1.75" (2.18 m).[7] Later that month, just two months after taking up high jump, he finished fourth at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne with a jump of 2.23 m. Not yet experienced at high jump, Thomas gained notoriety at the Commonwealth Games for not measuring his run-up, competing in shoes without spikes, and putting his arms behind his back to land on the mat as if breaking his fall.[5][8][9]
During the 2007 indoor season he cleared 2.30 metres for the first time and in March jumped 2.33 metres in Fayetteville, Arkansas.[10] In July 2007 he cleared 2.35 metres in Salamanca, Spain. The result was a new personal best and the world season's best at the time.[4][11] He then won the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, again with a 2.35 jump. He also won gold at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final.[12] That year he also won the IAAF Newcomer of the Year, and the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association Athlete of the Year.[13]
The Olympics in 2008, however, turned out a major disappointment for Thomas. He made only 2.20 in the qualifying round and finished 21st overall.[14]
Thomas competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. In qualification he cleared 2.16, passed on 2.21, then failed to clear 2.26 and did not advance to the final.
^ ab. rio2016.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
^"Gyulai István Memorial" (PDF). all-athletics.com. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
^ ab. auburntigers.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
^ abValiente, Emeterio (5 July 2007). "2.35 World lead for Donald Thomas in Salamanca". IAAF.org. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
^ abEpstein, David (2013). The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance. Current. ISBN978-1-59184-511-9.
^"Donald Thomas is revelation of the year". iaaf.org. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
^"2006 Indoor Track & Field National Championships Results". naia.org. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
^. gettyimages.ca. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
^"Lindenwood's Thomas Competes at Commonwealth Games". naia.org. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
^Dunaway, James (11 March 2007). "Thomas clears 2.33m, as Hastings blazes women's 400 in 50.80 - NCAA Indoor Champs, Day 2". IAAF.org. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
donald, thomas, high, jumper, donald, thomas, born, july, 1984, bahamian, high, jumper, from, freeport, bahamas, donald, thomasdonald, thomas, celebrating, osaka, 2007personal, informationnationality, bahamianborn, 1984, july, 1984, freeport, bahamasheight1, w. Donald Thomas born 1 July 1984 is a Bahamian high jumper from Freeport Bahamas Donald ThomasDonald Thomas celebrating in Osaka 2007Personal informationNationality BahamianBorn 1984 07 01 1 July 1984 age 38 Freeport BahamasHeight1 91 m 6 ft 3 in 1 Weight81 kg 179 lb SportSportTrack and fieldEvent s High jumpCollege teamAuburn TigersAchievements and titlesPersonal best s 2 37 m 2 3 Medal record Men s athleticsRepresenting the BahamasWorld Championships2007 Osaka High jumpCommonwealth Games2010 Delhi High jumpPan American Games2011 Guadalajara High jump2007 Rio de Janeiro High jumpCAC Games2010 Mayaguez High Jump2018 Barranquilla High JumpNACAC Championships2018 Toronto High JumpRepresenting AmericasContinental Cup2018 Ostrava High jump2010 Split High jump Contents 1 Biography 2 Competition record 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditThomas initially played basketball at Bishop Michael Eldon School in Freeport Bahamas before taking up high jump in January 2006 while studying at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles Missouri where he played on the University s basketball team 4 He tried high jump for the first time when challenged by members of the track and field team who were reacting to his claims about his ability to slam dunk Thomas cleared 6 6 1 98 m on his first attempt and 7 2 13 m on his third ever jump The athletes then sought the head track coach Lane Lohr who entered Thomas in a meet two days later at Eastern Illinois University At the meet he cleared 7 3 25 2 22 m on his seventh ever jump 5 6 In March 2006 Thomas placed second at the 2006 NAIA Indoor Track amp Field National Championships with a height of 7 1 75 2 18 m 7 Later that month just two months after taking up high jump he finished fourth at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne with a jump of 2 23 m Not yet experienced at high jump Thomas gained notoriety at the Commonwealth Games for not measuring his run up competing in shoes without spikes and putting his arms behind his back to land on the mat as if breaking his fall 5 8 9 During the 2007 indoor season he cleared 2 30 metres for the first time and in March jumped 2 33 metres in Fayetteville Arkansas 10 In July 2007 he cleared 2 35 metres in Salamanca Spain The result was a new personal best and the world season s best at the time 4 11 He then won the 2007 World Championships in Osaka Japan again with a 2 35 jump He also won gold at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final 12 That year he also won the IAAF Newcomer of the Year and the Bahamas Amateur Athletic Association Athlete of the Year 13 The Olympics in 2008 however turned out a major disappointment for Thomas He made only 2 20 in the qualifying round and finished 21st overall 14 Thomas won the gold medal in the high jump at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi India In the final he was the only competitor to clear the height of 2 32 which he managed at the first attempt The silver medal in the event was won by his countryman Trevor Barry In 2011 he won the gold medal in the high jump at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara Mexico again with a height of 2 32 Thomas competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London United Kingdom In qualification he cleared 2 16 passed on 2 21 then failed to clear 2 26 and did not advance to the final Thomas represented the Bahamas at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro Brazil 1 He made the final for the first time at an Olympic competition and finished in equal 7th place with a jump of 2 29 3 15 He competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics 16 Competition record EditYear Competition Venue Position NotesRepresenting the Bahamas2006 Commonwealth Games Melbourne Australia 4th 2 23 mNACAC U23 Championships Santo Domingo Dominican Republic 2nd 2 21 mCentral American and Caribbean Games Cartagena Colombia 4th 2 13 m2007 Pan American Games Rio de Janeiro Brazil 2nd 2 30 mWorld Championships Osaka Japan 1st 2 35 m2008 Olympic Games Beijing China 21st q 2 20 m2009 World Championships Berlin Germany 15th q 2 27 m2010 World Indoor Championships Doha Qatar 15th q 2 18 mCentral American and Caribbean Games Mayaguez Puerto Rico 1st 2 28 mCommonwealth Games Delhi India 1st 2 32 m2011 World Championships Daegu South Korea 11th 2 20 mPan American Games Guadalajara Mexico 1st 2 32 m2012 World Indoor Championships Istanbul Turkey 15th q 2 22 mOlympic Games London United Kingdom 30th q 2 16 m2013 Central American and Caribbean Championships Morelia Mexico NMWorld Championships Moscow Russia 6th 2 32 m2014 World Indoor Championships Sopot Poland NMCommonwealth Games Glasgow United Kingdom 9th 2 21 m2015 Pan American Games Toronto Canada 3rd 2 28 mWorld Championships Beijing China 6th 2 29 m2016 World Indoor Championships Portland United States 10th 2 25 mOlympic Games Rio de Janeiro Brazil 7th 2 29 m2017 World Championships London United Kingdom 22nd q 2 22 m2018 World Indoor Championships Birmingham United Kingdom 6th 2 20 mCommonwealth Games Gold Coast Australia 4th 2 27 mCentral American and Caribbean Games Barranquilla Colombia 1st 2 28 mNACAC Championships Toronto Canada 3rd 2 28 m2019 Pan American Games Lima Peru 11th 2 10 mWorld Championships Doha Qatar 19th q 2 22 m2021 Olympic Games Tokyo Japan 25th q 2 21 m2022 World Indoor Championships Belgrade Serbia 11th 2 20 mWorld Championships Eugene United States 23rd q 2 21 mNACAC Championships Freeport Bahamas 3rd 2 25 mReferences Edit a b Donald Thomas athlete profile rio2016 com Archived from the original on 26 August 2016 Retrieved 17 August 2016 Gyulai Istvan Memorial PDF all athletics com Retrieved 18 August 2016 a b Former Tiger Donald Thomas qualifies for Olympic high jump finals auburntigers com Archived from the original on 3 January 2017 Retrieved 17 August 2016 a b Valiente Emeterio 5 July 2007 2 35 World lead for Donald Thomas in Salamanca IAAF org Retrieved 5 July 2007 a b Epstein David 2013 The Sports Gene Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance Current ISBN 978 1 59184 511 9 Donald Thomas is revelation of the year iaaf org Retrieved 18 August 2016 2006 Indoor Track amp Field National Championships Results naia org Retrieved 17 August 2016 Donald Thomas Bahamas in first major competition clears 2 20m wearing only warm up training shoes opposed to athletes spikes Men s High Jump 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games gettyimages ca Archived from the original on 27 August 2016 Retrieved 17 August 2016 Lindenwood s Thomas Competes at Commonwealth Games naia org Retrieved 17 August 2016 Dunaway James 11 March 2007 Thomas clears 2 33m as Hastings blazes women s 400 in 50 80 NCAA Indoor Champs Day 2 IAAF org Retrieved 5 July 2007 IAAF Top Lists High Jump 2007 men Bahamian Thomas wins high jump gold on YouTube Commonwealth Games Biography Donald Thomas 8 August 2014 Retrieved 18 August 2015 Donald Thomas Bio Stats and Results Olympics at Sports Reference com Archived from the original on 11 September 2015 Retrieved 18 August 2015 Men s High Jump Standings rio2016 com Archived from the original on 11 September 2016 Retrieved 17 August 2016 Athletics THOMAS Donald Tokyo 2020 Olympics Olympics com tokyo 2020 Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Archived from the original on 11 August 2021 Retrieved 22 August 2021 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Donald Thomas athlete Auburn Tigers bio 2006 Commonwealth Games profile Donald Thomas at World Athletics Donald Thomas at Diamond League Donald Thomas at Olympics com Donald Thomas at Olympedia Olympic GamesPreceded byShaunae Miller Flag bearer for BahamasTokyo 2020with Joanna Evans Succeeded byIncumbentAchievementsPreceded by Andrey Silnov Men s High Jump Best Year Performancealongside Stefan Holm Yaroslav Rybakov and Kyriacos Ioannou2007 Succeeded by Andrey Silnov Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Donald Thomas high jumper amp oldid 1112329818, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
