Regan Smith reveals mental agony before Tokyo Olympics and how adopting cat was ‘a big part of my swimming journey’

TEAM USA star Regan Smith is ready to conquer the world – and her self-doubt – at the Paris Olympics.

The swimming sensation is in the form of her life going into the Summer Games , having reclaimed the 100-meter backstroke world record.

Getty

Getty

Getty

Getty

The 22-year-old touched in 57.13 seconds at the recent US Trials, eclipsing the mark of 57.33 set a year ago by Australia’s Kaylee McKeown.

As well as being in peak condition, Smith is going into the Paris Games with a completely new mindset after admitting pressure “ate her alive” in the build-up to the last Olympics in Tokyo.

The Minnesota native won a bronze in the 100-meter backstroke, silver in the 200-meter butterfly, and silver in the 4×100-meter medley at the delayed Tokyo Games.

But she felt like a failure after not qualifying for her signature race – the 200-meter backstroke, an event she was a world-record holder in at the time – and then not winning a gold medal.

Soon afterward, her form stagnated, she changed coaches multiple times and left Stanford University after only one season.

But after linking up with Bob Bowman – who is best known for his work with Team USA swimming legend Michael Phelps – Smith has regained her form and enthusiasm for the sport.

“I am ecstatic. I’m so excited,” Smith told The U.S. Sun.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to compete in my second Games and to do it with all of my best friends going with me.

“I can’t wait and I’m feeling great physically, I’m excited mentally, so I think things are just coming together really nicely.

“And I’m just excited to get over and let it rip.”

Smith is candid about her struggles in the past and how she has managed to overcome them.

“Before the Tokyo Games, I was probably at my lowest point mentally,” she says.

“I failed to qualify for the Olympic 200 backstroke and I was the world record holder in that event at the time.

“I felt unbelievably embarrassed and ashamed and it was hard to even show up to Olympic Trials and the Olympics, knowing that I had failed in such a grand way.

“And it was very hard to pick myself back up after that experience and continue into the next [quadrennial cycle].

“And it’s so sad for me to say that because I still achieved so much at that Games.

“I still walked away with two silver medals and a bronze medal and many people walk away from the Olympic Games with none of that.”

Smith says she is in a better place now because she is three years older and has gained a new mental toughness, as well as a positive mindset.

“I think cognitively I’ve grown up a lot. I think that just happens naturally,” she says.

“I feel like between the ages of like 18 and 20 – college-aged years – there’s a lot of metamorphosis happening.

“And so I think I’ve gone through that and with that has come a lot of strides forward in terms of mental toughness and strength and confidence in myself and my ability to train lights out. “

The U.S Sun

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AFP

“And I feel very confident, mentally and physically and I cannot say that I felt that way three years ago. And above all, I’m just really enjoying things a lot more than I used to.

“I took things way too seriously three years ago. And that just hindered my ability to have fun because this is a sport.

“Thank goodness this isn’t a life or death situation and I think I started to subconsciously view it as that.”

Smith has also been helped by adopting a pet cat named Roo, who she says is “a big part of my swimming journey.”

“I got her back in January in a shelter in Arizona,” she says.

“I live by myself in this apartment and growing up, I always had dogs and whenever I had a bad practice, I was feeling down or anything, my dogs would cheer me up and be there for me and hang out with me and just boost my mood.

“And so being in this apartment in Arizona, living by myself, not really having anyone to turn to if I was struggling, having a hard time, had a bad practice training session whatever, it started to take a toll on me.

“And I really just missed having something that was just all there for me and loved me so deeply.”

Smith suffered a bad case of mono in January, which kept her out of the pool for a significant period of time and Roo provided a welcome pick-me-up.

Thank goodness this isn’t a life or death situation and I think I started to subconsciously view it as that.

Regan Smith

“I was just down in the dumps to be honest with you,” she says.

“And so I went to a shelter one day in early January and I picked up little 4-pound Roo, and she just immediately became my best friend.

“I would come home to her every day after practice in January. And most days I’d unfortunately be coming home in tears because as I said, I was still recovering from mono.

“And so when I would come home to my apartment and be greeted by the cutest little kitten, she’d give me her little meow and she’d let me hold her and cuddle her and she just sit on the couch with me for hours and I just pet her fur and she just relaxed next to me.

“It made all the difference for my mental health coming out of that sickness that I had, and I just fell head over heels in love with her.”

Smith has now partnered with pet food company Nulo, which has supported her on her Olympic journey.

NULO

Nulo

“This could not be a better partnership just because of the way that my relationship with Roo began and formed so organically and I wouldn’t have gotten her if I wasn’t a swimmer,” Smith says.

“And the fact that Nulo is so supportive of Olympic athletes and supporting our spreading our message… we’re also spreading their incredible message as well.

“It’s a very, very genuine company and they truly care about us and they really care about the animals and it just means a lot to be a part of it.”

Smith has such a new-found confidence in herself that she is openly targeting a gold medal in Paris – something she would not have been comfortable saying just a few years ago.

“For a long time I didn’t give specific goals. I wouldn’t speak outwardly about them because I was afraid to make my goals public because I felt that if I didn’t achieve those goals, that I was a failure,” she says.

“But now I think I’ve really changed my mindset and I’m kind of proud to have these big goals and if I don’t reach them, then so be it.

“But I’m proud to know that I wasn’t afraid to speak them into existence and go for them 100%.

“And so I’d love to walk away from the Paris Games with the gold medal under my belt. I think that would be so exceptional.

“I’m incredibly proud of my silvers and my bronze from Tokyo. You know, I want greatness for myself and I want greatness for Team USA.

“And so I’m gonna do everything that’s within my power to walk away with the gold and if that happens like hell yeah, and if it doesn’t, I still know that I’m gonna walk away having given 100% effort every step of the way.”

Nulo’s “ Fuel Incredible “ campaign is designed to highlight the profound connection between athletes and their pets, illustrating that success is not just measured in medals and titles, but in the shared journey of wellness and mutual support.

How to watch the Olympics

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The Olympics are headed to Paris in July, but don’t worry if can’t catch a flight to France , we’ve got you covered.

You can watch all of the action from the comfort of your own home, and there’s still time to get your stream sorted:

• Peacock
• Hulu
• Sling

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