Regan Smith, the new “Queen of Backstroke,” chatted about her latest endeavors, which include going pro and training under veteran elite coach Bob Bowman in Arizona.
Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This quote applies to Olympian Regan Smith.
At the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, Smith won two gold medals: in the women’s 100 meter backstroke race, as well as the 4×100 medley relay. “It was really great. My times may have not been what I was looking for, but ultimately, I was so proud to win a gold medal for myself and Team USA in the individual event and in the relay as well,” she said.
“It is so much fun swimming as part of a relay, so having three very talented women behind me was a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun, it was a great team of girls and all of us got along really well,” she added.
She holds the world record in the women’s 200 meter backstroke race with a time of 2:03.35 that she set back at the Gwangju World Championships, besting Missy Franklin’s prior world record. “When I broke the world record I was in complete shock,” she admitted. “Missy reached out to congratulate me. To hear from Missy about that achievement was incredible, she was so great and so kind to me. That was very gracious of her and so appreciated.”
After a successful year at Stanford University, World Record holder, 2020 Tokyo Olympic triple medalist, and 2019 and 2022 World Championship Gold medalist Regan Smith, 20, announced that she will become a professional and train
professionally under Coach Bob Bowman in Tempe, Arizona. “I am very excited. It is good to have a fresh start, I couldn’t be more excited, honestly. I am really looking forward to it,” she said.
“After a tremendous amount of reflection and soul-searching, I have chosen to pursue my competitive swimming goals as a professional athlete,” Smith said. “After spending a substantial part of the last two years on my mental game, it’s time to focus on increasing my training intensity.”
“I’m entirely confident that Bob’s leadership and training will have me exactly where I want to be for Paris 2024. I believe that, in the long run, this is the best way for me to continue to develop as an athlete.”
“At this time, I am postponing my college degree to maximize my athletic competitive window and could not be more excited for this journey. I want to thank Greg Meehan and Tracy Slusser, the Stanford staff and my Stanford teammates for their unwavering support and I wish them continued success,” Smith added.
Bob Bowman praised Smith for being a special athlete. “I look forward to helping her work towards her goals in the coming years. She has a clear picture of where she wants to go and how to get there. Having tremendous respect for both Mike Parratto and Greg Meehan, I am honored to build on the strong foundation they have given Regan,” Bowman remarked.
Regan’s father, Paul, has been extremely supportive since the beginning of his daughter’s career and was by her side every step of the way as she made this decision. “Regan has always had a remarkably mature connection to her swimming. At every step, she has inherently understood what she needs in order to meet her definition of success. I trust her instincts on this and support her 100 percent. It’ll be fun to watch,” Paul Smith said.
She listed the butterfly as her personal favorite stroke in the sport of swimming.
The digital age
On being a swimmer in the digital age, she said, “It is really cool actually. I really like having the opportunity to have an online presence with technology and social media. It is a lot easier to connect with people across the country and across the world. In this day and age, it is super cool. I want to have a positive relationship with it and use it to my advantage.”
Speedo
Smith is signed with Speedo USA. “Signing my first deal with Speedo was very meaningful, as I have been swimming in Speedo suits since I was nine years old,” she said.
“Speedo has been awesome to me,” she added. “They have been wonderful and super supportive of my decision to go pro. They are great with communication and checking in on me. I did my first photoshoot with them this past April and that was so much fun. Overall, it has been a great experience with them so far.”
The Foss Swim School
She also serves as an ambassador for the Foss Swim School. “Foss Swim School is where it all started for me, and I am super excited to be an ambassador for the program that helped me develop as a young swimmer giving me the confidence, tools, and support to reach my goals,” she said.
“Foss Swim School is a Midwest-based company and I actually learned to swim there. I was a customer from ages three to seven and a half, and I loved it there. They really taught me how to love the water, and I have such fond memories there. Now, I have come full circle and it is a surreal feeling to be an ambassador and work with them as a professional swimmer,” she said.
“My toddler self and my little kid self would be so floored. It is so special, and I am thankful to do that,” she added.
Advice for hopefuls in swimming
For young and aspiring swimmers, Smith said, “Really try your best to enjoy it. Go to practice every day and make sure that you are having fun. Find a friend in practice, be serious when you need to be serious but also find time to socialize with your friends. It is really important to have a balance.”
“My most fond memories in swimming are when I am being silly with my teammates,” she added.
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Smith revealed, “Betting on Myself.” “I decided to leave school so I am betting on myself with swimming,” she said. “I want to capitalize and make the most out of my swimming career. I want to be confident and excited about it.”
Golden Goggle Awards
She is the winner of three Golden Goggle Awards, which include wins for “Female Race,” “Relay Performance,” and “Breakout Performer of the Year” back in 2019. “That was so great,” she said. “2019 was such a fun year for me, so many good things happened to me, and that was wonderful. It was in Los Angeles, so it was nice to have some good weather there because I am from Minnesota.”
“I felt really special there, and the Golden Goggle wins were a really cool feeling. I was very grateful for that experience,” she added.
Success
On her definition of the word success, she said, “Success means a lot but it doesn’t mean everything. My definition has changed a lot. I really measure success by how hard I am working on things, and if I am giving my all. That’s a more positive way to look at it for myself.”
Rapid Fire Questions
Smith also took the time to answer some “Rapid Fire” questions.
Waffles or pancakes? Waffles
Flying or driving? Flying
City living or country living? Country living
Summer or winter? Summer
Library or museum? Library
Bath or shower? Shower
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
Texting or calling? Texting
Half-full or half-empty? Half-full
Curly fries or normal fries? Curly fries (only if they are from Arby’s)
Skydiving or scuba diving? Neither, I am terrified of both
Indoor pool or outdoor pool? Outdoor pool
Tea or coffee? Tea
Rain or snow? Snow
Singing or dancing? Singing
Burgers or tacos? Burgers
Long course or short course? Long course
Money or fame? Money
For her fans, Smith expressed a great deal of gratitude. “Thank you so much. I get their DMs and it means the world to me. Nothing makes me happier when I win a swim meet, and the fans want to say hi to me or sign an autograph or sign a swim cap, or get a photo. It makes everything seem worth it. This is what the sport is all about: being good role models for younger swimmers and being kind to them. It is very cool to come full circle and be a good role model to them,” she concluded.
To learn more about Olympic and world champion swimmer Regan Smith, follow her on Instagram.
