Regan Smith on Training Under Bowman, Chasing the Perfect Taper, and the Road Ahead

By Gold Medal Mel Stewart on SwimSwamIn this GMM takeover of the SwimSwam Podcast, we sit down with 8-time Olympic medalist Regan Smith after a 2026 season that has been fast, revealing and, at times, frustrating.
At the Pan Pacific Championships, Regan came away with gold in the 200 backstroke, silver in the 50 and 100 back, and a fourth-place in the 200 IM. But the results don’t tell the whole story.
In both of her signature backstroke events, Regan was faster in prelims than in the fina