Born and raised in Iowa to Patrick and Cheri Gilman, Thomas moved to Nebraska to attend Skutt Catholic High School in Omaha.[4] As a high school wrestler, Gilman went on to become the 20th four-time Nebraska (NSAA) state champion in history and helped the team win three state titles.[5] He also won the 2009 NHSCA National title at 103 pounds as a freshman.[6]
While redshirting ('12–'13), Gilman compiled 23 wins (14 of them with bonus points) and five losses, won two Open tournament titles, and ended on a seven-match win streak.[8] As a freshman ('13–'14), he racked up a 16–3 mark, including seven victories and two losses in dual meets and a Midlands title, where he recorded wins over defending NCAA champion Jesse Delgado and three-time ACC champion Jarrod Garnett.[9] However, he was not the starter at 125 pounds for the postseason tournaments (NCAAs and B1Gs) after being defeated by teammate Cory Clark in a wrestle-off for the spot.[10]
As a sophomore ('14–'15), he compiled 31 wins and six losses, a 15–2 record in dual meets, a perfect 9–0 in Big Ten duals and Midlands runner-up honors.[11][3] In the postseason, he claimed runner-up honors at the Big Ten Championships to Ohio State'sNathan Tomasello[12] and became an All-American with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA's.[13]
As a junior ('15–'16), Gilman improved with a 28–2 record, including a perfect 17–0 in dual meets.[3] His first loss came at the Big Ten Championship semifinals by two-time NCAA runner-up Nico Megaludis, and he came back to claim third place at the tournament.[14] At the NCAA championships, he dominantly reached the finale with two majors, one technical fall and a pin over the defending NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello, while also avenging his last season's loss.[15] In the finals, Gilman was once again downed by Nico Megaludis from PSU, claiming runner-up honors.[16]
In his final year ('16–'17), Gilman compiled 32 wins and just one loss, with a 15–0 mark at dual meets. He led the Hawkeyes on falls and technical falls, scored bonus points in 26 out of 32 wins and won the Midland Championships, being named the Outstanding Wrestler as well.[3] After being the top–ranked 125-pounder in the country throughout the whole season, Gilman claimed his first Big Ten title by topping Timothy Lambert from Nebraska in the finals.[17] As the top–seed at the NCAA's, Gilman was on a dominant with two majors and a fall over rival Nick Piccininni to make the semifinals, but was defeated by the eventual winner of the championship Darian Cruz, getting thrown to the consolation side of the bracket. He came back with a victory over second-seeded Joey Dance and once again downed Nick Piccininni, now 13–6 to claim third place.[18] Gilman graduated with 107 wins and 12 losses.[19]
Freestyle career
Age-group level
Gilman was a three-time US World Team Member, once as a cadet and twice as a junior, and claimed a bronze medal from the Junior World Championships in 2014.[20][21]
Senior level
2013
Gilman made his senior-level debut at the US University Nationals at age 18, where he placed third.[22]
2017
After his folkstyle career ended, Gilman competed at the US Last Chance World Team Trials Qualifier in May, and placed first to earn a spot at the US World Team Trials.[23] At the US World Team Trials Challenge Tournament of June, Gilman defeated 2017 NCAA champion Darian Cruz, reigning Pan American champion Tyler Graff, two-time US University national champion Nico Megaludis, and 2015 NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello, to make the best-of-three final.[24] In the best–of–three, Gilman went on to defeat fellow graduated HawkeyeTony Ramos twice in a row to become the biggest underdog to make the 2017 US World Team.[25] Gilman then went on to claim the prestigious Grand Prix of Spain in July.[26]
Gilman started off the year competing overseas, claiming an Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix bronze medal and placing 15th at the Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov Memorial.[35][36] After coming back to the United States, Gilman claimed runner–up honors from the US Open, losing to Daton Fix in the finals but not before beating Nathan Tomasello.[37][38] In May, he claimed the US World Team Trials Challenge by defeating Darian Cruz twice, becoming the Final X challenger.[39] At June's Final X, Gilman was defeated by Fix two to one, losing the chance of representing the United States at the World Championships.[40] Gilman then travelled to Russia to train in Vladikavkaz, and was named the USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week after claiming the Yusup Abdusalamov Memorial.[41][42] He also competed at the Intercontinental Cup and the Alans International, placing third at twelfth respectively before returning to the United States.[43][44]
After being unable to compete for months due to the pandemic, Gilman competed at his now local NLWC in their first event in September, where he tech'd NCAA champion Darian Cruz.[49] In their third event, in November, Gilman pinned 2017 Ukrainian International Open runner–up Frank Perrelli, notably calling out Spencer Lee afterwards.[50] In his last event of the year, Gilman was unable to keep his unbeaten streak and was defeated by 2019 Bill Farrell Memorial champion Seth Gross via criteria in December.[51]
2021
To open up the year, Gilman competed at the Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane in January, where after downing three–time European Continental champion Giorgi Edisherashvili and 2020 US National champion Vito Arujau in his first two matches, he was controversially defeated by Islam Bazarganov on criteria, but was able to defeat Edisherashvili in the third–place match to claim bronze.[52] In February, he competed at the fifth NLWC event, and was upset by Zach Sanders, before defeating Sean Russell.[53] In April 2–3, Gilman, the top–seed, competed at the rescheduled 2020 US Olympic Team Trials in an attempt to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[54] To make it to the best–of–three, he ran through two–time All–American Zane Richards and World Championship medalist Joe Colon, ending both via technical fall.[55] Gilman then wrestled Vito Arujau (21–2 since the pandemic, took out Daton Fix in the semifinals), and went on to pin him in the first match and beat him via criteria in the second match. This result qualified Gilman to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics, and he is expected to do so in August 4–5.[56][57] He was also expected to compete at the Pan American Continental Championships,[58] but was forced out due to a foot injury and was replaced by Arujau.[59]
As an Olympic medalist, Gilman earned the right to automatically represent the United States at the 2021 World Championships without having to compete domestically to make the US World Team, and did so from October 3 to 4.[62] Gilman had a dominant run on the first date, bulldozing through '21 Russian National medalist Abubakar Mutaliev and European Continental medalists Vladimir Egorov and Horst Lehr to make his second World finale.[63] Different from his 2017 finals, Gilman emerged victorious over '21 Asian Continental finalistAlireza Sarlak on October 4 in order to acclaim the World Championship, becoming the first 57 kilogram American competitor to do so.[64]
After cruising to the finals with not much trouble, Gilman was downed by Zelimkhan Abakarov on September 17 at the 2022 World Championships, earning a silver medal in his third World finals match.[69][70]
Wrestling style
Gilman will usually try to be as physical as possible, controlling the center with his strength and walking down and pushing his opponent while overwhelming him with heavy hand fighting until a takedown opportunity opens up.[71][72] Due to his aggressiveness, Gilman is considered to have the traditional Iowa style and is often described as "tough" and a "brawler".[73][74][75]
