Trinity Thomas still training for Tokyo Games
Florida junior Trinity Thomas is no doubt focused on the start of the 2021 NCAA season this week, but she’s also got her sights set on an equally, if not more, exciting prospect this summer: a chance to fight for a spot on the U.S. women’s Olympic team.
It’s no secret that Thomas has been reluctant to retire from elite gymnastics since joining the Gators three years ago, competing at the 2018 and 2019 U.S. championships while balancing college training. But after COVID-19 cut the 2020 NCAA season short and training halted for most gymnasts across the country, it’s been unclear whether Thomas would continue to balance the two or stick to just NCAA in her final two seasons.
Now, Florida head coach Jenny Rowland has squashed any of those assumptions.
Rowland told media on the team’s press call Monday that Thomas is, in fact, training for the summer 2021 elite season, and as such, will join an already deep field of contenders for the U.S. Olympic team.
Back in April 2020, Thomas told The Independent Florida Alligator that she had previously thought 2020 would be her last summer competing at the elite level, but the postponement of the Tokyo Games to 2021 caused a change of plans.
“You have more time to fix the best routines that you can possibly put together,” she told the IFG in April. “You will have more time to perfect all of your skills and all of your routines and parts, down to the basics.”
A fan favorite in both elite and NCAA, the gymternet was delighted to hear confirmation that Thomas is continuing her elite pursuit.
For now, though, Thomas has unfinished business in the NCAA. Florida was a favorite to win the 2020 National Championship, and the Gators are once again a top contender. The team sits at No. 1 in the WCGA’s preseason coaches poll, beating out reigning champion Oklahoma for the honor.
Individually, Thomas is a contender for multiple individual national titles. She finished last season ranked No. 1 on floor exercise, No. 2 in the all-around and on balance beam, and No. 4 on uneven bars.
“I just want to win a national championship,” she said in April. “I know what this team is capable of and I know that we can do (it). We have worked so hard, and I’m so excited to see what we can do from this.”
