Emma Smith (born 24 September 1991) is a British trampoline gymnast and champion best known for holding the world record for difficulty of routine performed in competition by a woman. The difficulty was 16.00DD and was achieved on 8 October 2011 in Odense, Denmark. She was also the first woman to have competed three triple somersaults in a routine.
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Early life and education
Smith attended Wade Deacon High School in Widnes, Cheshire, England.
Career
Smith began her sports career in Artistic Gymnastics with the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Club and became British Espoir Champion in 2003. She left that discipline due to injuries, and made the switch to Trampoline Gymnastics in 2004. From that point, she has excelled at an exceptional rate and has made a name for herself within the sport worldwide. Beginning trampolining at Aerodynamics, Smith returned to the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Club (Trampoline Squad) and settled with coach Jay Scouler. In 2007 Smith took the Junior Girls Trampoline Gymnastics British title.
As a junior in the sport, Smith achieved a place on the British team and competed internationally for the first time in 2007 at the World Age Championships, held in Canada. There, she picked up a severe knee injury, which put her in a cast and on crutches for three months. Following four weeks of intense physiotherapy, and six months of being back on a trampoline, she became Junior European Champion in April 2008, in Odense, Denmark. Later that year Smith underwent surgery on her injured knee.