Jefferis declares he has lots more to give

A YEAR ago gymnast Joshua Jefferis was fighting over the television remote with Thomas Pichler.

Now he's locked in a two-way battle with his former roommate for the single male spot at the 2012 London Olympics.

Hailing from Westlake and a member of Y-West Gymnastics at Jamboree Heights, Jefferis, 26, believed he had a "50-50" chance of reaching his ultimate dream after a strong performance at the London Prepares series.

Over the next four months Jefferis, who has had to overcome a chronic right shoulder injury, and his training partner Pichler will go head-to-head at three international competitions before Australian selectors choose their preferred gymnast following trials in May.

With 184 days until the London Olympics opening ceremony and luck now on his side, Jefferis is bursting with confidence.

"Personally, it would be one of the greatest satisfactions in my life to make it," he said.

"The Olympics are the pinnacle of sport and to say you've been to the Olympics earns you respect from everyone around the world."

Once regarded as the heartbreak story of Australian gymnastics after being edged by just 0.025 points by Sam Simpson for a spot at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Jefferis' hopes of an Olympic berth was kept alive after he took the place of South Australian Sam Offord at the London Prepares series.

Offord was forced pull out after sustaining an ankle injury during podium practise.

Jefferis, who went to London as a travelling reserve, had just two days to prepare for the Olympic test event, but still managed to out-perform Pichler.

"I was really happy with my performance considering the situation," he said.

"I've been struggling for fitness lately and had two cortisone injections for my shoulder before I left for the UK.

"My game plan was to do the routines I knew I could hit and get through the best I could.

"Fortunately on the day I managed to hit them all, which was very satisfying."

After six years based in Canberra on an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship, Jefferis moved in with his long-time mate Pichler.

The pair lived on the Gold Coast for six months, but Jefferis decided to move out and live with his grandparents at Moorooka instead because he feared a spot in the Australian Olympic team would come down to them two.

Jefferis admitted it had been hard putting his close friendship aside.

"It's been pretty rough," he said.

"We've known each other since we were 13 and been through a lot together.

"But at the end of the day we can empathize with each other because we're both trying to achieve the same thing.

"Tommy will go about his job and I'll focus on my job.

"We have the upmost respect for each other and we'll work together and support each other."

Admired by other gymnasts for his strength and tenacity, Jefferis said he still had a lot more to give.

"Now I've got a few international comps coming up, I'm just going to put everything out there on the line," he said.

"I have to prove I'm the best candidate for the Olympic Games.

"Now I've been given that opportunity, I'm going to put more skills into my routine and give everything I've got."