 Richard Schmidt rowed for "Ruderverein Treviris 1921" in Trier, Germany.At the junior level, he won two medals at the World Rowing Junior Championships in 2004 and 2005.In 2007, he rowed in the men's World Rowing U23 Championships in Glasgow in the coxless four together with Sebastian Schmidt, Fokke Beckman and Kristof Wilke in which they won a gold medal.