Dylan Schmidt training at his home in Karaka during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Photo: photosport
Despite a podium finish at the last Games Dylan Schmidt is the least prominent of Kiwis fancied to win a medal this time round.
Schmidt is now at his third Olympics which has just "flown by", he says.
"To go to my third Games and have the chance to do something special is pretty amazing and I really love being part of the wider New Zealand team."
His bronze medal was the first for a Kiwi in any gymnastics discipline and he also won the country's first world title in his event.
Trampoline sees athletes perform routines composed of 10 elements which are scored according to their difficulty, execution and time spent in the air. Athletes bounce over eight metres into the air.
Trampoline power couple Dylan Schmidt, Maddie Davidson going hard for medals in Paris
Dylan Schmidt competing at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre during the Tokyo Olympics, on 31 July 2021. Photo: www.photosport.nz/ Steve McArthur
Background
Born 7 January 1997 in Southport, Queensland
Raised in Te Anau, based in Auckland
Interests: the outdoors, hunting, fishing and golf
Competed in Celebrity Treasure Island in 2022
Olympic ambassador who visits schools to encourage kids to be active
Sister Rachel and brother Callum have both competed internationally in the sport
Partner: trampoline gymnast Maddie Davidson who is also competing in Paris
Achievements
- Olympic Youth Games gold medallist at Nanjing in 2014
- First Kiwi trampolinist at Olympics, finishing 7th in Rio in 2016
- Won bronze medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics
- Won NZ's first ever trampoline world title in Bulgaria in 2022
Support from partner
Maddie Davidson and Dylan Schmidt have been chosen to compete in trampolining at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Supplied/ Olympics NZ
Schmidt and fellow gymnast Maddie Davidson were Olympic team-mates in Tokyo but are returning to the Games as a couple seeking medals and inspiration from each other.
While Schmidt and Davidson can bounce ideas off each other as elite trampolinists both are mindful of the need to keep a healthy split between their sport and private lives.
"It's not the first topic that comes up when we go out to dinner," Schmidt told Reuters of their athletic pursuits.
"We tend to leave the advice to our coaches."
The trampoline competition at Paris 2024 will be contested on 2 August at the Bercy Arena.