New Zealand trampolinist Dylan Schmidt doesn’t want to look too far into the future, but he admits the 2032 Brisbane Olympics have been on his mind.
Even though they are seven years away – with the Los Angeles 2028 Games sandwiched in between – the opportunity to compete in amajor event so close to home is something Schmidt is keen to be part of.
In 2016, he became New Zealand’s first athlete to compete in trampoline at the Olympic Games, eventually claiming the bronze medal in the rescheduled Tokyo Games five years later. Last year in Paris, his efforts ended in disaster when he crashed out during his routine.
With the Brisbane Olympics being staged close to home, he’s hoping it will be an opportunity to bring a major trampoline event to New Zealand.
“To have it close to home is awesome – and potentially trying to get some World Cups in New Zealand is another little side quest that would be quite cool,” Schmidt said.
“To work with the federations to try and get some Olympic qualifiers here, Downunder in Aussie and New Zealand, would be pretty cool to bring the sport back home.
“I would love for that to happen and then with the Olympics being in Aussie, it makes a lot of sense to have World Cups this side of the world, which we don’t usually have.”
Dylan Schmidt at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo / Photosport
While that’s the goal for the future, Schmidt is fully focused on ending his season in style at the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Pamplona, Spain.
The 28-year-old has been based in Bournemouth, England and is feeling confident heading into the event, having come off a bronze medal at the most recent World Cup meet in France.
Schmidt won gold in the 2002 event in Sofia, Hungary so knows what it takes to stand atop the podium.
“It’s been a fairly solid year, albeit with a few big changes,” he said.
“I’m just trying to enjoy training, fine-tune and get the body feeling right for the worlds and have a break after that.”
“Everyone will be there and we’ll be going to do as well as we can.”
Schmidt was recently included in the University of Auckland’s 40 Under 40 list, which comprises inspiring young alumni who continue to shine in both their professional and personal lives.
He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree and when back home, he works in risk services for PwC.
While retirement is far from his mind, he knows the importance of planning for the future.
“We work in Olympic cycle and that’s what we’re building towards,” Schmidt said.
“LA is not too long away and then I’m pretty keen to see if I could do another one. Five Olympics sounds better than four to me and I’ll still be at an age where I should be able to contend and compete.
“With the work and stuff like that, yeah, chipping away, just keeping opportunities open and doors open for when I do retire.
“I try not to think about it too much. It’s one of those things, when you do come to the end of your career, you maybe can count down the years, but just trying to enjoy the moment, enjoy this worlds and enjoy every year competing and if the body can hack it, we’ll keep going.”
After the World Championships, Schmidt will return home for a brief break and do “all the Kiwi stuff” before jetting off for the 2026 campaign, which will see him based overseas for months.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
