Regan Smith (swimmer)

Regan Elisabeth Smith (; born February 9, 2002) is an American competitive swimmer who specializes in backstroke and butterfly events.

As a teenager, Smith was regarded as the best American swimmer of her age group. She broke out on the international stage at the 2019 World Championships, winning two gold medals. At the 2020 Olympic Games, Smith won three medals but none of them gold. She then won two gold medals at the 2022 World Championships and five medals, including one gold, at the 2023 World Championships. At the 2024 Olympic Games, Smith won five medals, three silver and two gold. She won seven medals, including four golds, at the 2024 Short Course World Championships.

Smith holds the long course world record in the 100 m backstroke and formerly held the record in the 200 m backstroke. She holds the short course world records in the 50 m backstroke, 100 m backstroke, and formerly held the record in the 200 m backstroke.

Career Early life and career Smith was raised in Lakeville, Minnesota. Smith started swimming at the Foss Swim School in 2007. When Smith was 12, she achieved multiple new age-group records and won medals at high school state meets. Following these successes, she joined Apple Valley's Riptide Swim Club and began to receive coaching from Mike Parratto, who was known for coaching 12-time Olympic medalist Jenny Thompson.

By the time she was 14, Smith was competing at meets with Olympians such as Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky. Smith competed at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials."Regan Smith". worldaquatics.com. Retrieved November 5, 2024. In 2016, she became a member of the U.S. national junior team and set national age group records in the 100 y backstroke, 100 y butterfly, and 100 m backstroke. She was named the 2016 Age Group Swimmer of the Year for 13–14 year-olds.Lepesant, Anne (December 22, 2016). "2016 Swammy Awards: Age Group Swimmer Of The Year — 13 – 14". SwimSwam. Retrieved October 5, 2021.

2017 In July 2017, Smith competed in her first major international meet at the 2017 World Championships. She qualified for the 200 m backstroke event final and finished eighth.

In August, Smith won gold medals in the 100 m backstroke and 200 m backstroke at the 2017 World Junior Championships. In the 100 m final, she broke Missy Franklin's 15–16 national age group record, as well as the world junior record previously set by Taylor Ruck in the semifinals. Smith also won silver medals in the 4×100 medley relay and 4×100 mixed medley relay. She was awarded the 2017 National Age Group Swimmer of the Year for 15–16 year-olds.

2018 At the 2018 U.S. National Championships in July, Smith set a new world junior record when she and Kathleen Baker (at the time the world record holder for the 100 m backstroke) tied for first in the 200 m backstroke with a time of 2:06.43. Smith also finished third in both the 100 m backstroke and 200 m butterfly.

In August 2018, Smith won her first senior international medal by taking bronze in the 200 m backstroke at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo. She wrapped up 2018 by earning the Age Group Swimmer of the Year title for the third time in her career and the second time consecutively in the age group (15–16 year-olds).

2019 2019 World Championships

At the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Smith competed in an individual event, the 200 m backstroke. In the heats and semifinals, she asserted herself as the favorite, recording a time of 2:06.01 in the heats and consequently breaking her own world junior record. In the semifinals, she surged away from the rest of the field and opened up a lead of two body lengths by the last 25 meters. She touched the wall with a time of 2:03.35, shattering Missy Franklin's world record of 2:04.06 that had stood since 2012. The next day in the final, Smith won her first World Championship title, claiming gold by a margin of more than two and a half seconds. She was well under her world record pace with a 100-meter split of 59.45 (a time that would have placed sixth in the 100 m backstroke final held earlier). Smith's pace fell off at the end, but she still managed to finish with the second-fastest 200 m backstroke ever with a time of 2:03.69.

Despite not qualifying for an individual spot in the 100 m backstroke, Smith was chosen as the backstroke leg for the United States in the medley relay final. She won gold along with Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia, and Simone Manuel, with a world-record time of 3:50.40 to break the previous mark of 3:51.55 set in 2017. As the lead-off leg, Smith's split time was eligible for an official world record. Her lead-off split of 57.57 broke Kathleen Baker's 100 m backstroke world record of 58.00.

Smith was awarded 2019 American Swimmer of the Year and World Swimmer of the Year for her achievements in 2019 by Swimming World. She was also named 2019 National Age Group Swimmer of the Year (17–18 year-olds) by SwimSwam, her fourth such award of her career. For the year, she also received the Swammy Awards for World Junior Female Swimmer of the Year, becoming the first American swimmer to win the award, and Female Swimmer of the Year.Dornan, Ben (December 22, 2019). "2019 Swammy Awards: World Junior Female Swimmer of the Year Regan Smith". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 12, 2021.Neidigh, Lauren (December 31, 2019). "2019 Swammy Awards: Female Swimmer of the Year Regan Smith". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 12, 2021.

2020 2020 U.S. Open Championships In 2020, Smith graduated from Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Minnesota. At the 2020 U.S. Open Championships, contested in December in a virtual competition format, Smith won the gold medal in the 200 m butterfly with a 2:08.61 and the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke with a 59.95. She placed fourth in the 200 m backstroke with a 2:11.74, fifth in the 100 m butterfly with a 58.09, and ninth in the 200 m individual medley with a 2:15.20.Hy-Tek (November 16, 2020). "2020 Toyota US Open Championships: Compiled Results" . USA Swimming. Retrieved February 3, 2023.

2021 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials In June 2021, Smith competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials and qualified for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. She won the 100 m backstroke final with a time of 58.35.Gibbs, Robert (June 15, 2021). "Regan Smith on Kaylee McKeown's Record-Breaking Swim: "It Inspired Me."". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 15, 2021.Shinn, Peggy (June 16, 2021). "Back on Track: Ryan Murphy and Regan Smith Qualify For Tokyo In the 100 Backstroke". TeamUSA.org. Retrieved June 16, 2021. Earlier in the competition, she set a new U.S. Open record of 57.92 when she won the semifinals of the 100 m backstroke."2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Women's 100m Backstroke Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.Sutherland, James (June 14, 2021). "2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Wave II: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 14, 2021. Smith also swam a 57.73 in the semifinals of the 100 m butterfly, ranked sixth, qualified for the final, and did not swim in the event final."2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Women's 100m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.

On day four of the Olympic Trials, Smith advanced to the final of the 200 m butterfly with a time of 2:07.89 and ranking second overall in the semifinals."2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Women's 200m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.Sutherland, James (June 16, 2021). "2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Wave II: Day 4 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 16, 2021.Zaccardi, Nick (June 16, 2021). "Katie Ledecky, after chats with legends, wins two races in one night at Olympic Swimming Trials". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 16, 2021. In the final, she placed second with a time of 2:06.99, qualifying to swim the event at the Olympic Games."2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Women's 200m Butterfly Final Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.Sutherland, James (June 17, 2021). "2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Wave II: Day 5 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 17, 2021. Smith competed in the preliminary heats of the 200 m backstroke on day six of the trials, swimming a 2:07.81 and advancing to the semifinals."2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Women's 200m Backstroke Heats Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 18, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.Anderson, Jared (June 18, 2021). "2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Wave II: Day 6 Prelims Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 18, 2021. In the evening semifinals, she ranked first with a time of 2:07.23 and qualified for the final."2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Women's 200m Backstroke Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 18, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.Sutherland, James (June 18, 2021). "2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Wave II: Day 6 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 18, 2021. In the 200 m backstroke final, she finished third with a time of 2:06.79 and did not qualify to swim the event at the Olympic Games."2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wave II: Women's 200m Backstroke Final Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 19, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.Sutherland, James (June 19, 2021). "2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Wave II: Day 7 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved June 19, 2021.

2020 Olympic Games

Heading into the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Smith was one of 17 entrants in the 200 m butterfly and one of 43 entrants in the 100 m backstroke.Keith, Braden (July 15, 2021). "Only 17 Swimmers Are Entered in the Women's 200 Fly for Tokyo Olympics". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 17, 2021. In the prelims of the 100 m backstroke on day two of competition, she advanced to the semifinals and set a new Olympic record in the event with a time of 57.96, which was broken in the last preliminary heat by Kaylee McKeown, who swam a 57.88.Molski, Max (July 25, 2021). "US Olympic Swim Results: Katie Ledecky, Lilly King, Regan Smith advance". NBC Sports Washington. Retrieved July 25, 2021. Smith set the Olympic record again in the semifinals, recording a time of 57.86 and advancing to the final ranked first.Sutherland, James (July 25, 2021). "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Day 2 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 25, 2021."Regan Smith Sets Olympic Record in 100 Backstroke in Semifinal". KXAS-TV. July 25, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2021. In the final, she won the bronze medal with a time of 58.05."Minnesota native Regan Smith gets bronze in 100m backstroke". KARE 11. July 26, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.Blount, Rachel (July 26, 2021). "Lakeville's Regan Smith wins bronze medal in 100-meter backstroke at Tokyo games". Star Tribune. Retrieved July 26, 2021.Brennan, Christine (July 26, 2021). "Team USA's Regan Smith takes bronze medal in 100 back at Tokyo Olympics". USA Today. Retrieved July 26, 2021. It was her first Olympic medal.Frederick, Jace (July 26, 2021). "Lakeville's Regan Smith wins Olympic bronze in 100-meter backstroke". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Retrieved July 26, 2021.