Gymnastics: Medal-winner hopes to have the jump on Rio spot

The turning point for Dylan Schmidt was qualifying for the junior world championships in Russia in 2009 when he was 12. Photo / Getty Images

Dylan Schmidt is looking to break fresh Olympic ground for New Zealand in Rio next year.

The 18-year-old Auckland student has given himself a serious chance of becoming the first New Zealander to compete in trampolining at a Games.

The gymnastic discipline was introduced at Sydney's 2000 Olympics and has been dominated by Chinese, Russian and Canadian athletes.

By finishing 15th in the open world championships in Florida last year, Schmidt has shown he has the talent to make it to Rio.

Crunch time will come in Odense, Denmark in November. Schmidt's target will be a top-eight finish.

That ensures an Olympic quota place for New Zealand, which Schmidt would get, subject to New Zealand Olympic Committee approval.

There is another route through the Rio test event in April to complete the final Olympic field of 16, but Schmidt's eyes are only focused on the worlds for now.

Born and raised in Te Anau, he got into the sport in a way familiar to so many families. "My brother and sister started doing it and when I turned 5 I was eager to get into it," he said.

"As I got older, I started taking part in competitions, and started to get more serious."

The family moved to Waihi and one of his parents, Jen or Andy, would drive the three children to Auckland to train. Schmidt knows a debt of gratitude is due for that commitment.

"It was pretty tough for them, but they decided we really wanted to do it."

Schmidt can remember when he started to really home in on the sport.

"I think the turning point for me was qualifying for the [junior] worlds. I was 12 and went to Russia in 2009.

"I was pretty keen to go and do the best I could. That was when I realised I was going to a world championships and maybe it's a sport I wanted to do.

"That competition (which he won) changed my mindset about how I'd approach the sport."

Now fast-forward to last year, and the world youth Olympics in Nanjing, China. Schmidt won the gold medal with a final score of 57.340.

"That was a pretty crazy competition, a really cool experience.

"I loved the atmosphere of being part of a pretty big team and I learned a lot from it."

And one more step: the world championships in Daytona Beach, Florida last November. Schmidt's 15th placing was .665 off the eighth place and entering the final.

Now he's tasted success at the highest levels, he knows he has the capability to succeed.

Schmidt trains six days a week, usually two-hour sessions. He has a training partner, Kierran Tuhu, who is "pretty important - it's hard to keep yourself going [on your own]".

Schmidt, who's studying for a Bachelor of Commerce part time at Auckland University, has the rest of his year mapped out.

There are World Cups in Valladolid, Spain in mid-September and Loule, Portugal about a month later, the national championships, and a stint training in Europe leading up to the worlds.

Schmidt has two routines, set and voluntary, to master and he's quietly confident. "I know the scores I've hit are good enough to make it, but I'm just looking forward to the year. It's going to be pretty exciting."

Schmidt's best years lie ahead. Most leading trampolinists are in their mid-20s so time is clearly on his side.