Margaret Thomas-Neale

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexFemale
Full nameMargaret•Thomas-Neale
Used nameMargaret•Thomas-Neale
Born22 August 1931 in Cardiff, Wales (GBR)
Measurements152 cm / 52 kg
AffiliationsCardiff Central Boys Club, Cardiff (GBR) / Cardiff Olympic Gymnastics Club, Cardiff (GBR)
NOC Great Britain

Biography

Margaret Thomas was coached by Walter Maidment, and in 1951 was captain of the Cardiff Olympic Youth Club. She made her Olympic début at Helsinki in 1952. After finishing runner-up to Pat Hirst in the 1956 National Championships, Thomas (then known as Margaret Neale) came close to another Olympic selection. Hirst was the only female member of the British team at the Melbourne Games, but Neale was on stand-by as a reserve to travel to Melbourne in an emergency. Neale did get a call-up for her second Olympics at Roma four years later, however, by which time she had won the British title in 1957 and 1958, the Welsh title in 1958, and also had had two children.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1952 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) GBR Margaret Thomas
Individual All-Around, Women (Olympic) 112
Team All-Around, Women (Olympic) Great Britain 16
Team Portable Apparatus, Women (Olympic) Great Britain 15
Floor Exercise, Women (Olympic) 131
Horse Vault, Women (Olympic) =94
Uneven Bars, Women (Olympic) =107
Balance Beam, Women (Olympic) 111
1960 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) GBR Margaret Neale
Individual All-Around, Women (Olympic) 108
Team All-Around, Women (Olympic) Great Britain 17
Floor Exercise, Women (Olympic) =108 r1/2
Horse Vault, Women (Olympic) 116 r1/2
Uneven Bars, Women (Olympic) 108 r1/2
Balance Beam, Women (Olympic) 104 r1/2