World Champs Profile: Regan Smith Again Embracing Full Program
Leading into the start of the World Championships later this month, Swimming World will publish a handful of short profiles on top contenders for the podium in Singapore. Our next entry in this series features American Regan Smith, one of the leaders of Team USA’s dominant women’s squad.
Regan Smith
United States
Events: 50 Backstroke/100 Backstroke/200 Backstroke/200 Butterfly
The Road to Singapore
At the United States Trials in Indianapolis, Smith did what was necessary to secure invitations in her prime events to the World Champs. While she was victorious in the 100 backstroke, Smith was the runnerup in the 50 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 butterfly. In every event, she is considered a frontrunner for the podium – with the additional training between Indy and Singapore serving as a valuable stretch of time for the veteran.
Smith heads to Worlds ranked No. 1 in the world in the 100 backstroke (57.46), second in the 200 butterfly (2:05.38), third in the 200 backstroke (2:05.84) and fifth in the 50 backstroke (27.20).
Top Career Achievement
Smith’s consistency should never be overlooked, as she routinely answers the call for American relays and regularly factors into the medals equation at major championships. For proof, look no further than last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, where Smith earned silver medals in all three of her solo events and helped the United States to gold in both medley relays.
Previous World Champs Hardware
Smith owns nine career medals from the World Championships, including five gold. She was the world champion in the 200 backstroke at the 2019 edition, which served as her international breakout, and she added a title in the 100 backstroke at the 2022 Worlds in Budapest.
Stat Fact
Smith has 10 career swims of 57.69 or faster, and posted the two-fastest swims in history during the 2024 season. She fired off a world record of 57.13 at the United States Olympic Trials and followed with a 57.28 marker while leading off Team USA’s triumphant 400 medley relay at the Paris Games.
World Champs Profiles
