Long jump athlete Thomas Burrows has proved somewhat of a National Championship specialist, winning medals at both Australian Championships he has competed in.

An intellectually impaired competitor, Thomas won bronze in the long jump at the 2009 Nationals, before backing up with the same result in 2010. His impressive jump of 5.89m to win bronze at the 2010 Nationals is the highlight of his career to date.

Away from his developing athletics career, Thomas relaxes by going to the movies and spending quality time with his brothers. It would not surprise to find him lounging on the couch playing playstation or watching TV, especially his favourite show Two and a Half Men. He is already qualified in horticulture, having earned a Certificate II in the industry in 2010.

Thomas is an avid rugby league follower and enjoys attending matches involving his beloved Brisbane Broncos. He is in awe of recently retired Bronco Darren Lockyer and uses the champion five eighth’s achievements as inspiration in his own sporting career. He is also a big fan of fellow Queenslander Billy Slater, despite the star fullback playing for Brisbane’s rival team Melbourne Storm.

Prior to competing, Thomas is known to go through the routine of slapping his legs and telling them to run fast. He has recovered from an inflamed tendon injury in his groin suffered in 2011 and is now looking forward to representing his country.