Samuel (Sam) Dick has been named in the New Zealand team for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games in October. Sam was selected following strong results on the international stage in Germany and Japan last year before winning the Oceania spot at the Youth Olympic Games qualifying event in May. He went on to win gold on the rings at the Pacific Rim Championships in Colombia in April – his career highlight so far.
Sam is not the first New Zealand team selection for the Dick family this year. Older brother Ethan Dick was the youngest member of the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics team at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Channel Magazine talked to Sam about his success to date.
Channel Magazine: What attracted you to gymnastics?
Sam Dick: I was attracted to gymnastics by my two older brothers, Ethan and Henry. They had been doing gymnastics for a while and I would always want to go and watch them and try to do what they were doing from the stands. It was just natural for me to become a part of it all and follow in their footsteps.
CM: When did you start getting competitive about it?
SD: At a young age I was never really serious about gymnastics; it was just something I did that was fun for me. It wasn’t until I was level 4 (at nine years old) when I won my first competition that I realised I had a lot of potential in the sport. In that same year I went to my first ever New Zealand nationals and came second. This made me realise that gymnastics wasn’t just any other sport that I could do and mess around at but rather a sport with competitiveness that relied on your own individual performance. This motivated me as I wanted to succeed more and I liked not having to rely on other teammates so I decided to stick with gymnastics ever since.
CM: Please tell us about where you have competed and your successes to date.
SD: My first international competition representing New Zealand was in Texas, Dallas, in 2015 – I competed at level 8 (13+ age group) and came home with four gold medals and three silver. In 2017 I was in the International Junior Team Cup, in Berlin, and came fifth all around, first on vault and third on rings. I also attended the Japan Junior Internationals, in Yokohama and was 13th all around, and fifth on vault.
In 2018 I represented New Zealand at the Pacific Rim Championships in Colombia. I didn’t compete floor or vault at this comp due to injury, but was first on rings and fourth on high bar. At the Australian Gymnastics Championships in Melbourne I was first all around, first in floor, fourth in pommel, first on pings, first on vault, first on parallel bars and third on high bar.
CM: What are you aiming for at the Youth Olympics? And beyond that?
SD: At the Youth Olympics I’m hoping to come home with at least a medal, top 10 in the All Around (all six apparatus) and three apparatus finals (top eight). After the Youth Olympics I’m aiming to participate in the 2020 Olympics, Commonwealth Games and other World Championships once I am a senior athlete (from 18 years).
CM: You’re described as ‘men’s artistic gymnastics athlete’. Can you explain how what you do differs from other forms of gymnastics, and what the specific challenges of this discipline are?
SD: Men’s Artistic Gymnastics involves six different apparatuses: floor, pommel, rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar. All these apparatus require you to have immense strength and coordination to allow yourself to move in certain ways and simulate the feeling of flying through the air. In men’s gymnastics, it’s also important to adapt to what event you are doing, for example a gymnast who is strong on the rings is going to struggle to excel on the pommel because of the way their body is shaped, so it’s important to train your body equally with the different events as you grow. This is why some men end up specialising in only some of the apparatus. It is my aim to continue to compete as an All Around Gymnast – meaning competing in all six apparatus.
CM: What have the highlights of your gymnastics career been to date?
SD: My gold medal at the Pacific Rim Championships in Colombia on rings and gold in the All Around at the 2018 Australian national championships which also secured for New Zealand the one Oceania spot for the Youth Olympic Games in Men’s Gymnastics. And of course, ultimately being selected to compete for New Zealand at the Youth Olympics Games in Buenos Aires.
CM: Have there been any tough times when you have been tempted to step away from the sport? If so, how did you move beyond that?
SD: There have been many moments throughout my time in gymnastics that I have been tempted to just quit because that would have been easier. During these times I have had to really just remind myself of my dream goal. Without your dream goal and without a reason to keep doing what you're doing, the tough days are just going to keep getting tougher, and bouncing back from the hard days is going to be even harder, so it’s important to set yourself a dream goal to give you a reason to battle through the difficult parts.
CM: Do you have any sporting role models? Please tell us about them and how they’ve influenced you?
SD: During my sporting career I’ve never really had a big role model who I’ve looked up to but someone who has definitely influenced me in what I do would be my brother Ethan. Training alongside Ethan has definitely helped me to realise my ultimate goals. He helps me overcome the challenging parts of the sport and also helps me become the best gymnast I can be.
CM: What are your longer terms aspirations (in sport or any other arena)? Please complete this sentence: In five years’ time I aim…
SD: In five years’ time I aim to have represented New Zealand at the 2020 Olympics games in Tokyo, and competed alongside my brother at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
