Olympic bronze medallist Dylan Schmidt. Photo / Photosport
Dylan Schmidt, who won trampoline bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and is aiming higher in Paris, will be in action on August 2. He sits down with the Herald for a Q&A.
Who was an Olympian you admired as a kid and what about them stood out?
target="_blank">Valerie Adams. She always seemed to be at the top sticking it out, so consistent. Being at the top for so long is super impressive.
Was competing at an Olympics a childhood dream or did that come later in life?
It came after I won world champs in 2009 when I was 12. That was when the Olympic dream was born.
What’s your favourite performance by a Kiwi at an Olympics?
Can I be biased and say my own? Being on the floor experiencing that moment and winning the medal in Tokyo was pretty special. Definitely my favourite performance, personally.
Who’s your New Zealand Olympic GOAT?
Lisa Carrington. She’s an absolutely amazing athlete and super dominant.
What’s your goal for these Games?
To win. It’s a pretty hefty goal and obviously something that’s hard to achieve. But for me, success doesn’t mean winning – it means putting myself in a position to win. I’ll be successful if I finish the competition proud of how I approached it and proud of how I put it out there.
Who have been your biggest supporters in aiming for that goal?
My whole high-performance team have been amazing. My coach, Angie [Dougal], we work super close together every day. And the family – Mum and Dad have been huge supporters. Living at home again for the last little while, it’s been amazing having the food and all that sort of that stuff done. And my girlfriend Maddie [Davidson] has been great.
Who’s the best in the world at your discipline and what makes them so good?
You’ve got to give it to the reigning Olympic champion Ivan [Litvinovich], he’s pretty amazing. He jumps super high and when he gets into trouble he doesn’t let it affect him. No matter where he is on the tramp, he always seems to go up and do clean skills. But he’s definitely beatable.
Do you plan on sticking around to see other events once you’ve finished competing?
Yep, I’ve got the golf booked in and there’s a few other things I’m keen to see. A bit of high jump and I might go watch some shooting, but whatever’s available. We’ll snap up the tickets.
If you were there as a fan, which athlete or event would you most like to watch?
Definitely the golf – the final round will be pretty sweet. Other than that, the athletics finals are always cool to watch.
What are you looking forward to about the athletes’ village?
Just enjoying that week before comp, because you don’t get many of them. I’m looking forward to the general vibe when the team’s together, the culture, everyone supportive. All that cool stuff that comes along with being an Olympian from New Zealand.
Who would you most want to get a selfie with?
Probably one of the American golfers.
Have you visited Paris before and what touristy stuff is on your bucket list?
I’ve been there before twice – once just for a day and once for the weekend last year. It’s a cool city but I’m hoping to get down to the south of France. I’ve never been down there and heard good things.
What’s your favourite French food and is it snails?
Definitely not snails. Can’t say French fries because they’re Belgian. I’ll go with crepes – love a good Nutella crepe.
What’s your immediate plan post-Paris?
Post-comp, I’m staying in the village for the week and will go support the other Kiwi athletes. Then three weeks meandering around Italy, Egypt and Morocco.
What comes next from a sporting perspective?
I’ve got the Auckland Marathon lined up in November so I’ll be training for that. Don’t know why but I’ve signed up for that. I’ll be taking it a bit easier on the trampoline – it’s been a big few years. I’ve got New Zealand nationals but apart from that no comps.
Is LA 2028 on the cards or might this be it?
Yep, the plan is to go for another cycle. I’ll be raring to go in 2025, do a few comps and get back into it.
If you were to pull a Hamish Bond, what would be your second Olympic sport?
I’d say golf but I’m definitely not good enough. Other than that, something to do with shooting.