What Does 8-Time Olympic Medalist Regan Smith Think?
In this GMM podcast, we caught up with Regan Smith, an 8-time Olympic medalist, fresh off her impressive performance at the 2026 Austin Pro Swim Series:
- 100m Backstroke — 1st, 57.98
- 50m Backstroke — 1st, 27.67
- 100m Butterfly — 1st, 56.18
- 200m Butterfly — 1st, 2:05.29
Four events. Four wins. And she managed to do a colorset and lift weights in the same week.
We wanted to chat with Regan because she's one of the most engaging and transparent athletes in the sport. She's not afraid to ask tough questions and doesn't rely on clichés. That's why we're calling this episode 'What Does Regan Smith Think?'
We covered a range of topics, including:
- Training regimens and the challenges of balancing multiple events.
- The semi-finals at the Pro Swim Series.
- Prize money at meets and its impact on Regan's current level of competition (She earned $7,500 at the Austin Pro Swim).
- The debate over whether Regan should focus solely on backstroke or benefit from racing multiple events.
- Her upcoming race schedule and event choices.
- The USA Swimming Short Course World Championships Trials: a positive, negative, or neutral experience?
- The increase in APA (USA Swimming National Team Members' financial support for the first time in 15 years).
- The USOPC's decision to block foreign athletes from the U.S. Olympic Training Center (during 2028).
- Regan's long-term planning, from LA2028 to Brisbane 2032.
- And much more...
I was under the weather when we recorded this, so my voice might sound a bit off, but I didn't want to miss out on this interview. Coleman Hodges stepped in to help. We did veer off-topic for the first four minutes, but we got back on track at 4:30. The podcast is approximately an hour and 15 minutes long. We hope you enjoy it!
If you have any questions you'd like us to ask Regan in future episodes, please leave them in the comments.
Follow Regan Smith on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/regansmith4/?hl=en].
Follow Gold Medal Mel on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/goldmedalmel/].
Thank you to SwimOutlet.com for their 14-year partnership and support of this swimming news and media.
Check out recent GMM podcasts: [Link to recent podcasts].
This is a Gold Medal Media production, brought to you by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a swimming news website.
Please note that the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC, or SwimSwam's advertising partners.
In This Story:
* Regan Smith
Regan Smith
About Gold Medal Mel Stewart
Gold Medal Mel Stewart (aka Mel Stewart Jr.) is a former Olympic, World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, he has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, and more.
Read More » [Link to Mel Stewart's bio]
