User:Madeleineahn/sandbox

Family Background
Before Regan Smith began her career as a competitive swimmer, she started by taking private lessons, since neither of her parents have a swim background. However, her parents do have some experience with the sport because their older daughter, Brenna Smith, is a competitive swimmer.

Childhood
Regan Smith’s successful swimming career began early on in her life. She began swimming at age two and competing at seven-years-old. At her first little meet, she swam six events, and out of the six, she earned five AA times, which are champ times according to the USA time standards.

When she was twelve, she achieved multiple new age-group records and won medals at high school state meets. Following these successes, she joined the Apple Valley’s Riptide Swim Club and began to receive coaching from Mike Parratto, who is known for coaching Jenny Thompson, a famous swimmer who has won twelve Olympic medals.

2015-2017
At age thirteen, she swam at the Arena Pro Series meet, where she placed fifth in the 200 meter backstroke and ninth in the 100 meter backstroke.

While she was fourteen, she competed at meets with Olympians, such as Missy Franklin (the world record holder for the 200 meter backstroke ) and Katie Ledecky (the world record holder for the 400 meter freestyle, 800 meter freestyle, and 1500 meter freestyle ). Additionally, she became a member of the U.S. National Junior Team, she was named the 2016 Age Group Swimmer of the Year for thirteen to fourteen year olds, and she had set three National Age Group Records in the 100 yard backstroke, 100 yard butterfly, and 100 meter backstroke.

When she was fifteen, she continued on her path of success. She broke a minute in the 100 meter backstroke, which is an achievement only six other fifteen-year-olds have been able to accomplish. Then, she became a member of the U.S. National Team, and she travelled to Budapest to compete at the 2017 FINA World Championships where she broke the junior world record in the 200 meter backstroke and placed eighth overall. Following this meet, she competed at the 2017 World Junior Championships. There, she swam the 50 meter, 100 meter, and 200 meter backstroke plus the 50 meter and 100 meter butterfly; however, she scratched the 50 meter fly despite placing thirteenth in prelims. Smith decided to do this so she could focus more on the 100 meter backstroke. This paid off, as she won her event while also setting a new world junior record time. Additionally, she came in first in the 200 meter backstroke, fourth in the 50 backstroke, and second in the mixed 4x100 medley relay.

2018 - Present
More recently during long course season, she competed at the 2018 Pro Swim Series and the 2018 U.S. National Championships where she qualified for the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. At the Pan Pacs, she won her first major medal, which was bronze, in the 200 meter backstroke. During short course season, she swam at the 2018 Winter Junior Championships where she won gold in the 500 yard freestyle, 200 yard butterfly, and 200 yard freestyle.

She wrapped up 2018 by earning the title of Age Group Swimmer of the Year for the second time consecutively.