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Kaipara Flats’ Sebastian Smith, 14, has returned from Melbourne having competed in the 2019 Australian Gymnastics Nationals in the standard, double mini, and synchronised trampoline events.
At his first attempt at an international event, Smith managed to claim ninth spot in the synchronised jump, despite having only trained with his partner twice, and fifth in the under 15 double mini category.
A double mini has an angled trampoline which a gymnast runs towards and uses to do a somersault onto another flat trampoline. The trampolinist then performs a trick in the air, known as a pass.
“I can do a double back, double front half pin on the high vault, and have now gotten into a double flip with a 530-degree spin rudi-out,” Smith says.
His father Allan says it was clear the boy had talent even when he was jumping on the beaten-up trampoline in their backyard.
“We took him to a trial at North Harbour and they wanted him to start straight away.
“It’s still a bit scary when I watch him. The top guys are doing quadruple flips at a height of five metres and there is no room for error in landing.”
Smith qualified for Australia after becoming the national champion for double mini trampolining in the under 15 mens at the NZ Nationals in Tauranga last year.
His coach, Rosa Esteban, says Smith shocked everyone at the event by claiming the title.
“His performance was far below what he’d been displaying in training and Seb only just managed to sneak his way into the finals in eighth place. What nobody had considered was that Seb had completed his easiest passes first and saved his most difficult and impressive ones for the final. All of the experienced athletes had performed their best first, recognising the difficulty of making the finals.”
Judges score trampolinists based on how long they are in the air, the difficulty of the trick, where they jump on the trampoline and how they land.
Smith had also been practicing something special for the Australian Nationals.
“My coach wanted me to stick to what I’ve been doing and just have fun with it. But I’ve been trying out seven double flips, which is quite hard bouncing and
flipping over again.”
Coach Esteban says she decided to allow Smith to perform a ‘pike half out – tuck double back’ despite the fact he had never performed it on a double mini.
“On the first attempt, he fell over and on the second attempt, he didn’t make it the whole way around the move. It was looking like he wasn’t going to land the pass,” she says.
“The competition proper started and Seb went for glory one last time. He landed his last attempt and closed out the competition in the top five in the double mini after less than two years of training.”
Smith will represent North Shore Trampoline and North Harbour at the 2019 NZ Gymnastics Championships from October 2 to 6.
“The best part for me is progressing and doing more stuff than I thought I would ever be able to do. Two years ago, I thought this would just be a one-time thing,” Smith says.
