After his OS debut, Turner Schmidt will tour with Superstar Biles

Arnhem (ANP) – Turner Casimir Schmidt (28) has a lot to look forward to in the upcoming season. In Paris, she made her Olympic debut on Saturday after missing two games and will qualify for the final. From September 17 to November 3 she will be part of the Gold Over America Tour (GOAT), a concert tour by world star and seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles of the United States.

“These are the beautiful things in life,” says Schmidt. “I don’t think I’ll ever experience this again. Your first games and a seven-week tour across America, that’s great.”

Also, it’s not an everyday occurrence for a Dutch gymnast to take part in Piles’ tour. “In America they often go around the country after the games to honor the gymnasts with a show. It’s a great honor to be invited for this. Simone is a friend of mine. We know each other from competitions. Sometimes we just click with someone.

‘serious’

Sometime last year, the two started talking about the GOAT tour. “She said she needed more athletes. I said: OK, you can nominate me. Then they saw my social media and I had a face-to-face conversation with the tour management. They were very excited.”

What he is going to do is still unclear. “All I know is that I have a contract,” laughs Schmidt. “My green card will be fine. I know we’ll be traveling around the country for seven weeks. Play a show in the evening, get on the tour bus and go to the next town. Wake up somewhere else, rehearse and think, ‘This is going to be serious, but most of all it’s going to be a lot of fun.’

final destination

But first Paris. While missing Rio and Tokyo, Schmidt is happy to be at the Games. “There were two big disappointments, but now I’m here. In the meantime I’ve experienced many great things in the European Championships and World Cups. I’ve grown positively.”

“The main goal in Paris is the team final,” says Schmidt. “Four years ago we all sat in a room together and said that we want to go to Paris as a group. Then we all thought: it would be nice to make it, but it’s too far. Now we are with five people. Guests and then it’s nice to finish it with the team. .”

Schmidt himself hopes to finish in the individual finals in the all-around event. “I’m also secretly dreaming of a jump final. But I know there are a lot of guests who can achieve two good jumps. We’ll see.”