15-Year-Old Regan Smith Brings Return to U.S.’s Young Swimmer Legacy

2017 U.S. NATIONALS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TRIALS

The 2016 Rio Olympics were the first Olympics in 116 years that the United States’s Olympic swimming roster didn’t have any swimmers under the age of 18. It also was the first time since 1992 that the American Olympic swim team lacked a 14 or 15-year-old. (14-year-old Amanda Beard famously held a teddy bear on the medal stand in 1996, Michael Phelps was 15 in 2000, Katie Hoff was 15 in 2004, Elizabeth Beisel was 15 in 2008, and Katie Ledecky was 15 in 2012.)

Up until very recently, the American young swimmer tradition has continued in non-Olympic years as well. A 14-year-old Beisel made the Melbourne World Championships squad in 2007, 15-year-old Elizabeth Pelton swam at the 2009 World Championships in Rome, 16-year-old Missy Franklin took on the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, and 15-year-old Becca Mann made the open water team for 2013 Worlds in Barcelona.

Today, 15-year-old Regan Smith claimed a spot on the Budapest Worlds squad by finishing second in the 200 back with 2:08.55. After a drought of very young Worlds-quality American swimmers, Smith’s performance could represent a return to the United States’s young-international-level-swimmer tradition.

Other countries, especially those in Asia (Japan and Rikako Ikee comes to mind), have not seen the same dearth of very young swimmers that the U.S. has in the past couple of years. It’s still too far-out to start evaluating potential for future 15-year-olds for Tokyo 2020, but Smith shows that the United States is still a place where (very) young talent can train and end up competing at the highest level.

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tea rex
6 years ago

Beth Botsford was 14 at 1996 Trials (turned 15 before Games).

Uberfan
6 years ago

Crazy to think Amanda Beard won 3 medals at the Olympics 2 silver and one gold at only 14

bobo gigi
6 years ago

Congrats Regan! Just the beginning.

Paella747
6 years ago

Didn’t 1992 have Anita Nall at 14 or 15? And then 1988 had Beth Barr at 16, and The Great Janet Evans at 17…..

Paella747
Reply to  Paella747
6 years ago

On second thought, maybe Nall was 16, so not 14/15. I’m old.

Sportygeek
Reply to  Paella747
6 years ago

Anita Nall was 15 at trials but 16 (just) at the Olympics – her birthday was on July 21, and she swam her first event on July 27.

NEWTOSWIMSWAM
6 years ago

I have been watching and following her compete in Minnesota since she was a little girl. Never had any doubt she would be something very special!! Way to go, Regan, we are so proud of you.

Tom from Chicago
6 years ago

She reminded me of Kristina Egerszegi. Anyone else old enough to remember her?

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Tom from Chicago
6 years ago

i saw Egerszegy swimming and u seem to be right , there is a resemblance .

HomerSimpson
6 years ago

The dearth of USA swimming is impeccable! So proud!!

Swimnerd
Reply to  HomerSimpson
6 years ago

You may want to double check that word.

Meistro
6 years ago

Sko sota

About Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht grew up in Kansas and spent most of her childhood trying to convince coaches to let her swim backstroke in freestyle sets. She took her passion to Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa and swam at NAIA Nationals all four years. After graduating in 2015, she moved to …

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