Before the Shot — How Reagan Smith Prepares for Competition

Before stepping onto the starting block, she simply made sure her "hat was on straight and her goggles were snugly in place"—that’s all. "I’ve already done all the preparation work beforehand, so now it’s time to clear my mind and let my body’s muscle memory take over." Plus, she loves drawing energy from the crowd: "It thrills me when I hear people cheering excitedly as they watch me race against my competitors. After all, happy swimmers are fast swimmers!"

American backstroke star Regan Smith had an outstanding 2023, earning four medals at the Fukuoka World Championships and achieving career-best performances across multiple events. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she claimed silver in the 100m and 200m backstroke, as well as the 200m butterfly, and teamed up with her relay teammates to break the world record and claim gold in the thrilling 4x100m medley relay. Smith is coached by the renowned mentor Bob Bowman. She also shared insights into her preparation strategies for major and high-stakes competitions.

Smith said, "I used to be quite superstitious and highly focused on routines. If the routine aspects of my life faced unavoidable changes, I’d feel incredibly anxious. And that anxiety would ultimately start to hurt my performance during competitions."

"However, having a pre-game routine is still incredibly important to me. But it always evolves from one match to the next. This helps ensure that I’m prepared to handle any changes or variables that may arise."

One week before the competition

How are you preparing yourself mentally for what’s about to happen?

I love keeping the competition in my mind, often thinking about it and making sure I’m always brimming with energy and passion for the event. Bob likes to have us wear competition-specific attire and conducts weekly training sessions that simulate real match conditions. After these sessions, I feel genuinely excited for the actual competition. I also enjoy visualizing the upcoming match during practice, mentally rehearsing how I’ll perform—and even imagining exactly how I want my performance to look in my mind’s eye.

For example, yesterday our main training group did 10 sets of a 150-second cycle workout focusing on backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle (in a 50-meter pool). I visualized myself swimming a 200-meter individual medley in each set—just to get myself into that competitive mindset.

Before the match, you'll meet up with Bob.・What is Bauman discussing?

To be honest, Bob and I don’t have many discussions. He’s the one who comes up with the amazing practice exercises, while I make sure to show up on time every day and do my best to nail those drills. Giving it my all is already the best pre-game preparation for me, and Bob always seems to know exactly when I’m ready. That’s how we work together—and it’s proving incredibly effective for both of us.

Hotel

After checking in, do you have any routine activities planned? Like a movie you’d like to watch? Or a meal you’re looking forward to trying?

I’m usually lucky because my parents always come along with me when I compete domestically. After settling in, we love heading straight to the grocery store to grab whatever I might need. My favorites include PB & Js (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches), protein bars, oatmeal, yogurt, chocolate milk, and mixed dried fruits. We also enjoy picking up other snacks—though what we buy on each trip always varies a bit!

When staying at a hotel, do you prefer being by yourself to stay focused, or do you enjoy spending time interacting with family, teammates, or other companions?

When I’m having fun, my swimming performance is at its best, so I love chatting with my family and teammates as much as possible. The less time I have to spend alone, the better I feel.

Warm-up

You arrive at the pool before the competition., beginning to proceedWarm-upEventWhat is the specific time? What preparations do you need to make to feel fully ready?This one？

I arrive at the pool about 90 minutes before the event—sometimes even earlier, depending on how I’m feeling at the moment. Before we start changing and stretching, I like to take a few minutes to sit down, chat with my teammates, grab a snack, or sip on a drink. Usually, I don’t feel the need to go through any specific rituals to fully prepare myself; instead, I just want to relax and enjoy the moment.

BobWillLetYouDoSomeWhat type of warm-up?What about the event?？

Bob loves incorporating warm-up activities that make me feel cozy and relaxed—and I feel the same way—so I usually mix it up freely within a range of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. If my body feels great, I’ll ease up a bit. My go-to base workouts include everything from swimming and kicking drills to resistance exercises, sport-specific drills, medley swims, some steady-paced aerobic sessions, and even a few explosive or speed-focused practices. The exact distance for each activity varies depending on the event I’m preparing for that day—and how my body’s feeling in the water.

Preparation Room

What does your typical preparation room process look like?

I love going with the flow in the preparation room. If I have friends there, I’m happy to chat with them—but if it’s quiet and peaceful in the room, I’m equally comfortable enjoying some alone time. Mostly, I just sit back in my chair, relaxing and reflecting on my game plan—nothing too wild or intense. I used to feel nervous about the preparation room; I know most people do. But now I’ve started trying to embrace it, because that means the moment of competition is finally here!

Waiting to beCalledToPreparation TableWhen you get on, do you...NeededAnyBehavior that is suggestive or absolutely must be completed？

I’ll make sure my Parker coat pockets have a spare hat and a pair of backup swimming goggles. I double-check that my hat is straight on and my goggles are snug—nothing more! I’ve already done all the prep work, so now it’s time to clear my mind and let my body’s muscle memory take over.

After the starting platform

Upon hearing your name being called— which meansThe matchBeginIn the final moments before,YouHow is it being handled?

I love visualizing my performance and praising myself. Before a competition, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by my own fears, so I enjoy practicing some positive self-talk.

You are atWhen heading toward the starting platformDo you listen to any specific music? Or would you...Choose which special route to take up to the starting platformHuh?

I prefer drawing energy from the crowd rather than listening to music alone. I truly enjoy this—especially when I hear people cheering excitedly as they watch me compete against my rivals. After all, happy swimmers are fast swimmers!