Regan Smith Turning Professional; Will Shift Training to Guidance of Bob Bowman
Regan Smith, the three-time Olympic medalist and world-record holder in the 200-meter backstroke, has announced she is forgoing her remaining collegiate eligibility at Stanford University and will turn professional. Additionally, in a press release, Smith revealed she is changing her training to Arizona and will begin working with Bob Bowman, the 2016 United States men’s Olympic coach and head man at Arizona State University.
Smith recently earned a gold medal in the 100 backstroke at the World Championships in Budapest, where she also led the United States to the title in the 400 medley relay. In her release, Smith noted that her decision was made after considerable thinking and designed to maximize her performance in the sport. The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris are less than two years away.
“After a tremendous amount of reflection and soul-searching, I have chosen to pursue my competitive swimming goals as a professional athlete,” said Smith in the release. “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 Bowman’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.”
The reigning NCAA champion in the 200-yard backstroke, Smith will join a pro group that includes Hali Flickinger, against whom Smith has regularly raced in the 200 butterfly in national and international competition.
“Regan is a special athlete, and I look forward to helping her work towards her goals in the coming years,” Bowman said. “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.”
Here is the complete release:
Lakeville, Minnesota, (August 9, 2022) – After a successful year at Stanford University, World Record holder, 2020 Tokyo Olympic triple medalist and 2019 & 2022 World Championship Gold medalist Regan Smith, 20, announces that she will become a professional and train professionally under Coach Bob Bowman in Tempe, Arizona.
“After a tremendous amount of reflection and soul-searching, I have chosen to pursue my competitive swimming goals as a professional athlete. 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.” ~ Regan Smith
“Regan is a special athlete, and 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.” ~ Bob Bowman.
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%. It’ll be fun to watch.” ~ Paul Smith
Regan has retained Erika Wright of Wright Entertainment and Sports as her agent. “Regan consistently exemplifies every quality of a champion in and out of the water and will be a major asset to any sponsor who is fortunate enough to work with her.” ~ Erika Wright
Regan 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 9 years old!” She is also an ambassador for 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.