Tokyo bronze ‘bittersweet’ for Schmidt
Dylan Schmidt’s bronze medal has lived a busy life since the Tokyo Olympics, going on tour to many a school, where students and teachers alike have spent plenty of time marvelling at it.
Now he’s looking to add a gold or silver – or, so be it, another bronze – in Paris this July, where he will line up alongside fellow trampolinist Maddie Davidson for the second Games in a row.
This year’s Olympics will be the 27-yearold’s third in a row, after Rio in 2016, where he finished seventh in the individual men’s trampoline event, and Tokyo in 2021, where he won New Zealand’s first Olympic gymnastics medal.
But while he’s first and foremost looking for a result like the one he produced the following year in 2022, when he was crowned world champion, there was something from Schmidt’s first Games missing at his second that he’s eager to experience again – the sight of parents Andy and Jen in the stands.
They were there in Rio and will be there in Paris, but the Covid-19 pandemic meant that wasn’t possible in Tokyo, which made the experience “bittersweet”.
“I put so much work into training for that and I had a lot of change in my life as well leading into Tokyo – changing coaches six months out and stuff like that – so it was an awesome experience to have that medal around my neck, and to solidify that I’m one of the best in the world – really, really special.
“But obviously, you’re looking up in the stands and not seeing your mum and dad or too many familiar faces, when you just want to celebrate with people.
“The Covid Games felt like a business trip. It was kind of nice. You go over there and you’ve got this job to do and there are less distractions, so I was really focused and just got the job done, I guess.”
Davidson, 25, finished 10th in qualifying
in Tokyo, which meant she missed out on a place in the final of the individual women’s trampoline event at her first Olympics.
Her goal this time around is to make the top eight and the final, and she said she feels like she has really found her feet after a “whirlwind” experience three years ago.
“I feel so settled now and it’s just really special and such an honour to be named in this team.”
In the absence of family and friends in Tokyo, it fell to Davidson and other New Zealand athletes and staff to cheer Schmidt on from the stands, and after he won bronze, she came away full of inspiration.
“I’ve known Dylan for so long, so it was really cool to see him achieve one of his big goals. It was such a special moment and it inspired me and inspired the rest of the (gymnastics) community as well, to keep pushing towards what we want to achieve.”
After just being team-mates in Tokyo, Schmidt and Davidson have been a couple for the past year, which he said has “been great”.
“She's awesome. She's amazing. It’s cool to be able to travel together. She lives in Christchurch (while Schmidt lives in Auckland), so it’s nice when we get to catch up for more than three or four days.”
The trampoline events at the Paris Olympics will take place on August 2, with the women going first and the men following afterwards.