The 17-year-old will debut a new dive at the Junior World Championships in Montreal, which will get under way later this month.
When pressed for details, the impressive young man kept his legs tucked in close to his chest.
"I’ve got a few new tricks I’ve been working on, so that will be good," he said.
His coach, Aimee Sims, was more forthcoming.
Smith will be rolling out a forward three and a-half somersault. It is a tough dive which all the top divers eventually have to master and Smith has had about a month to perfect it.
It was still very much a work in progress, but he was getting there, Sims said.
Smith is the first male diver from Dunedin to be selected to compete at a competition of the calibre of the Junior World Championships since Simon Latimer in 1999 and Diving Otakou is very proud of him.
Smith had a couple of injury setbacks but also emerged from the Covid-19 lockdown with no motivation.
"I think he’ll do really well [at the championships]," Sims said
"He has come a long way in the last few months since he had the break, but he has come back stronger."
Smith got serious about his return in June but has had problems getting access to 10m platform.
It was only available two days a week and that is not enough at the top level, so he switched to 1m and 3m springboard.
He has qualified for the Junior World Championships in the 1m springboard.
"I hope to do pretty well," he said.
"It is a really cool opportunity and I’m really excited for it."
The year-13 Otago Boys’ High School pupil has been diving for about nine years.
Smith will join eight other New Zealand divers in what is the largest team to be selected by Diving New Zealand to compete at Junior World Championships, which runs from November 27 to December 4.
