Dylan Schmidt from Auckland’s Extreme Trampoline has this morning qualified New Zealand’s first ever trampoline Olympic spot, at the Test Event in Rio.
As with the two gymnastics spots already qualified, confirmation is dependent on selection from the NZ Olympic Committee by meeting their over-riding criteria of a top 16 capability with top 8 potential in Rio.
Dylan ended his junior career winning gold at the Youth Olympics in 2014. His senior career has seen two consecutive world top 16 finishes (15th and 9th). Bronze at the Pacific Rim Championships last week, and silver at Test Event finals this morning further reinforces his Olympic top 8 potential. This should essentially rubber stamp his selection to the NZ Olympic team. GymSports NZ will be presenting his nomination to the NZOC the first week of May, after which a positive selection announcement is expected soon after.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Quotes
“It’s a surreal feeling to have qualified my spot at the Olympics. And a huge honour to be the first NZ trampoline athlete to do so. I just feel a huge weight off my shoulders now that this part is over and all my hard work has paid off. I can’t wait to get back in the gym and keep training hard to do the best I can in 4 months’ time.” – Dylan Schmidt
“Dylan is a special athlete. At 18 he only just missed auto qualifying at last year’s World Champs and today he came and made a statement. He is ready for Rio and he was determined to make the final and make NZ proud. To come away with the silver medal was sensational. But what’s exciting is we know he can still do better.” – Jarrod Heriot, Dylan’s coach
“This is an outstanding achievement by Dylan and all the team who have supported him. To qualify our first ever trampoline athlete to the Olympics is a tremendous boost to the sport in NZ and is testimony to the great work the trampoline community is doing in preparing athletes for such a high level of competition. Only 16 athletes compete in Rio so Dylan is among the elite, and with his silver medal at the test event, is fully deserving to be so.” – Tony Compier, CEO, GymSports NZ
More information
Contact
Tony Compier – CEO, GymSports NZ
ceo@gymnasticsnz.com
027 448 4880