Regan Smith is turning up the heat at the Swimming World Cup in Incheon. Enjoying a back-and-forth with Kate Douglass, Smith has been getting the most of the caviar of late. Putting up a stellar display, the 22-year-old ended up as the top scorer in the women’s division. Adding to her growing list of accolades, Smith emerged victorious in the 200m backstroke to mark the beginning of a great weekend. 

Competing against the top draws, Smith clocked 1:59.60, earning her the top spot in the event. Such an impeccable performance made her feature on the sixth position in the all-time list of American swimmers to clock under 2:00 in the 200m backstroke category. 

Naturally, gaining on her arch-rival, Douglass certainly gave Smith a lot of reasons to cheer about. However, as her near-perfect weekend began, the US swimmer spoke about the contribution of her parents in her life. 

Speaking with World Aquatics, Smith doubled down on how her parents helped her reach such a pedestal. Pointing out the financial sacrifices her mom and dad made, the champion swimmer said, “I want to get my parents something special for Christmas this year because they have done quite a lot for me. They have spent a lot of money on me during my swimming career, so I would like to give back in a way that is bigger than just saying thank you.”

As a matter of fact, Regan Smith grew up in a family of athletes. Her father and mother, Paul and Kerry Smith, were both closely associated with swimming and gymnastics. Kerry has been actively contributing to USA Swimming as a coach for over a decade now. Currently serving as a program director for the Riptide Aquatics, Kerry groomed Regan in learning her craft in a masterful manner. 

As for her mother, Kerry served as a gymnastics coach. However, watching the interest of her little daughter in splashing the chlorine-soaked waters, she played a monumental role in guiding her and nurturing her into the champion athlete she is today. And surely enough, Regan Smith has repaid her parents’ abstract debts in full. Now, although Regan Smith is a refined elite athlete, Regan’s parents would still not leave their daughter’s side as she moves toward adding more feathers to her hat. 

Regan Smith’s parents continued their cheer as their daughter geared up to grab gold in Paris 

Regan Smith’s Paris Olympics quest was more than just a pursuit of gold. It was more of a family affair with an added ironic twist. Regan’s parents, although not allowed to accompany their daughter in the Olympic village, were fixated on their decision to stay close to Regan. While the young swimming sensation from Lakeville stayed in the Athletes’ Village an hour away, her parents set up accommodations right across from the aquatics center, ready to cheer her on. But their Paris stay was never a vacation for the parents. “My wife and I love Paris. But we understand Regan is on a business trip,” Paul shared.

After bagging two silvers and a bronze from Tokyo, Regan had her eyes firmly set on Gold. And for her parents, it’s both a nerve-wracking and proud moment. They knew that “it’s going to be a grind” for their daughter to secure the highest position on the podium. But her father was also aware of the fact that Regan would be dealing with the pressures with all the poise and calm. 

Reflecting on how Regan has matured over the years, he added, “She’s a much different person at 22 than she was at 20. She went to the worlds in Budapest in 2022 and didn’t race the way she wanted. After the worlds, she looked at us and said, ‘Something has to change.’” After years of hard work and toil, Regan’s parents never get tired of being her rock when she takes the plunge to face the world and grab her victories.