The 21-year-old has already started to plot his path to London 2012 with the disappointment of Beijing playing a key role in his choice of craft, which is likely to be the K2.

"I learned a lot in Beijing and to say things didn't go the way we would have liked would be an understatement," Smith said.

"There was something wrong within the boat and it showed.

"Our heat was bad, but the semi-final was worse and it makes me want to get back there (to the Olympics) again and prove myself, because I feel like we let everyone down.

"I think there are a lot of things I would do differently and I would like to concentrate on K2 next time."

The London campaign started in a Warilla gym a week after he returned home and Smith will build his upper body up after slimming down to stroke the K4 in Beijing.

He has put on seven kilograms since the Olympics and plans to become a more powerful athlete over the next year.

In the next six months he will look for a partner to qualify in the K2 at the World Championships in 2011 and believes teamwork is the key to success.

Smith will build an endurance base by ocean racing this summer with the famous Molokai Channel Ocean Race in Hawaii in May his next goal.

"It will be a three-year process to get to the next Olympics and I want to do it right," Smith said.

"I have to find the right partner and with him work towards the World Champs in 2011 because that is the most important date to qualify a boat.

"I won the K2 national title for three years and I think that's where my future lies."

Smith will take part in the welcome home parade in Sydney on Monday to round out his first Olympic experience.

"That is the last part of this Olympics for me and it will be good to catch up with some of the guys," he said.

"I still think about (what happened) and probably will until I get to London."