"I was a complete disaster the entire time"- Regan Smith opens up on major change as she compares her Olympic appearance in Tokyo and Paris

Regan Smith opened up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The American swimmer wrapped up her 2024 season after competing in the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.

Smith had a successful run in 2024 as she competed at the Paris Olympics and won five medals, including two golds. Along with this, she also delivered a stellar performance at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.

Discussing her journey, Smith sat for a conversation with Swimming World. She spoke about her experience at the Tokyo Olympics and how she improved in the 2024 Paris Olympics. In 2020, the swimmer won three Olympic medals, of which two were silver in the 200m butterfly and 4x100m medley events, and the third one was bronze, which she won in the 100m backstroke.

Despite these wins, Regan Smith revealed that she was a 'complete disaster' during that time. Along with this, she compared both her 2020 and 2024 Olympics performances and said:

“Truly, I don’t think there was anything that was within my power that I could have done to have a different outcome. I executed my races so well. I put up times that I was really proud of, and I had a really great mental relationship with the sport during that week, whereas in Tokyo, I was a complete disaster the entire time," said Smith.

Smith further spoke about her improvements in the 2024 Summer Games and added:

"So I just saw so many improvements within myself, mentally and physically, with my performances and everything. So I truly did walk away from Paris being like, ‘Wow, I did some really cool things.’”

Regan Smith opened up about breaking the world record in the 4x100m medley relay at the Paris Olympics

Regan Smith showcased notable skills at the Paris Olympics, as she won a total of five medals, of which two were gold and three were silver. One of her gold medals was in the 4x100m medley race, where she and her team clocked a world record of 3:46.63, besting Australia and China, who claimed second and third place, respectively.

In an interview with Forbes in August 2024, the American swimmer opened up about this triumph. She said that she was confident Team USA would clinch the gold medal in this event at the 2028 Olympics too and she and her team will always deliver when it comes to being dominant at the 4x100m medley relay.

"I think we'll always have great competition against us, but I truly do believe that nobody is better at that event than U.S.A., and we really, I think, have a chip on our shoulder about it," said Smith.

She added:

"I think we always walk into that event hungry with something to prove and knock on wood; we always deliver, so I think that's kind of a legacy for us; it's something that we're planning to continue to uphold through to L.A., and then beyond that as well."

Regan Smith has also delivered staunch performances in the World Long Course and Short Course Championships in her career.