Wikipedia

Ragan Smith

For the American swimmer, see Regan Smith (swimmer). For the racing driver, see Regan Smith (racing driver).

Ragan Elizabeth Smith (born August 8, 2000) is a retired American gymnast. She is a five-time member of the US National Team (2014–2019) and competed for the University of Oklahoma in collegiate gymnastics from 2020–2024. She is the 2017 United States national all-around champion and was an alternate for the 2016 Olympic team.[1]

Ragan Smith
Smith at the 2014 City of Jesolo Trophy
Personal information
Country represented United States
Born (2000-08-08) August 8, 2000 (age 24)
Snellville, Georgia
HometownDacula, Georgia
ResidenceNorman, Oklahoma
Height4 ft 11 in (150 cm)
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelCollegiate
Years on national team2014–18 (USA)
ClubTexas Dreams Gymnastics
College teamOklahoma Sooners (2020–24)
Head coach(es)K.J. Kindler
Former coach(es)Elena Piskun
Kim Zmeskal
ChoreographerKim Zmeskal
Dominic Zito
MusicThe Addams Family Theme (2016–2017)
These Boots Are Made for Walkin' (2017–2018)
Medal record
Representing the  United States
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Doha Team
Pacific Rim Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Everett Team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Everett Balance Beam
FIG World Cup
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
All-Around World Cup 1 0 0
Representing Oklahoma Sooners
NCAA Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Fort Worth Team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Fort Worth Team
Silver medal – second place 2021 Fort Worth Team
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Fort Worth Balance Beam
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Fort Worth Balance Beam

Personal life

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Smith was born in Snellville, Georgia, to Michael and Kerry Smith. She has two younger brothers. Her mother was a gymnastics coach. Smith began gymnastics in 2004. Smith lived in Lewisville, Texas for six years, and she currently lives in Norman, Oklahoma.[2]

Junior career

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2013

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Smith qualified for Junior International Elite status in 2013 and advanced to the 2013 Secret U.S. Classic in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. She placed 23rd in the all-around and advanced to U.S. Nationals later in the month, where she finished 17th all-around.[3]

2014

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Smith attended her first international assignment in March 2014, after her addition to the U.S. National Team, at the 2014 City of Jesolo Trophy in Venice, Italy. She contributed an all-around score of 52.650.[4] In August 2014, Smith competed at the 2014 Secret U.S. Classic and scored 54.450, finishing thirteenth in the all-around and first on floor, advancing to the U.S. Nationals, where she placed seventh in the all-around with a two-day combined total of 110.750 and second on beam and floor with scores of 29.000 and 29.150, respectively.

2015

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In March, Smith once again attended the City of Jesolo Trophy. In qualifications, which also served as an all-around/team final, Smith placed 5th with a score of 56.100 and made both the vault and floor finals. She scored a 14.350 on vault, earning a third-place finish, and 14.250 on floor, placing second.[5]

Smith competed in the Secret U.S. Classic, placing 1st on the floor exercise, as well as 2nd in the all-around and 3rd on vault.[6] In August, Smith attended the 2015 US Nationals. She came in 3rd all-around with a two-day combined score of 116.450 and won both balance beam and floor.[7] On December 19, 2015, Smith committed to the University of Oklahoma and the Sooners program.[8]

Senior career

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2016

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Smith's senior debut came at the 2016 City of Jesolo Trophy in March, where she finished second on beam, floor, and the all-around.[9] In April, she competed at the Pacific Rim Championships, winning balance beam with a score of 15.225. At the Secret U.S. Classic, Smith finished fifth on beam and tied for sixth on bars.[10] At the U.S. Olympic Trials in San Jose on July 10, 2016, she scored 15.3 on the balance beam and finished second on the event. On July 10, Smith was named as an alternate to the 2016 Olympic team, alongside Ashton Locklear and MyKayla Skinner.

2017

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On March 4, Smith won the gold medal ahead of Japanese Olympian Asuka Teramoto at the American Cup in Newark, New Jersey. In July Smith competed at the U.S. Classic on uneven bars and balance beam only. She took first place on both events.[11]

On August 20, Smith won the 2017 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships all-around title with a two-day combined score of 115.250, over three points ahead of silver medalist Jordan Chiles. She also placed first on floor exercise ahead of Jade Carey and Trinity Thomas, first on balance beam ahead of Riley McCusker and Thomas, and third on uneven bars behind McCusker and Locklear.[12] She was named to the national team for the fourth consecutive year.

On September 20, Smith was selected to represent the United States at the 2017 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Montreal alongside Carey, Locklear, and Morgan Hurd.[13][14] During qualifications Smith qualified to the all-around final in second place behind Mai Murakami of Japan despite an uncharacteristic fall on the balance beam. Smith also qualified to the floor exercise final in first with a score of 14.433, ahead of Murakami and teammate Carey.[15] She was arguably the favorite to win the all-around title, but minutes before her first rotation on vault she injured her ankle during warmups and withdrew from the all-around final.[16] This was only one of many injuries sustained by major contenders over the course of the championships, with Kohei Uchimura of Japan, Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and Larisa Iordache of Romania all withdrawing from the competition due to injury. Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan, the athlete representative, mentioned that the new podium training format only allowed the gymnasts a few minutes on each piece, not giving the gymnasts a sufficient amount of time to get used to the equipment, and suggested this as a reason for a much larger number of mistakes and injuries than usual. Smith's injury also forced her to withdraw from the floor exercise event final. Smith's recovery included extensive physical therapy and rehab as she chose to avoid the risks of surgery.[17]

2018

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In her comeback meet, Smith competed at the City of Jesolo Trophy in April. The US did not field a team, but Smith and club teammate Emma Malabuyo competed as individuals.[18] Smith won silver in the all-around, balance beam, and uneven bars.[19][20] She competed at the 2018 U.S. Classic in late July.[21] She only competed on vault, balance beam, and uneven bars. She finished third on balance beam.[22]

Marred by lingering torn ligaments in her ankle, broken toes, and mental struggles at the 2018 U.S Championships in August, Smith finished 10th in the all-around, 8th on vault, 8th on beam, tied for 11th on bars, and 11th on floor over the cumulative two day competition. She was not selected for the eight member national team for 2018.

In October Smith participated in the Worlds Team Selection Camp. During the competition she placed fifth in the all-around, third on balance beam behind Kara Eaker and Riley McCusker, fourth on vault and floor exercise, and eighth on uneven bars.[23] The following day she was named to the team to compete at the 2018 World Championships alongside Biles, Morgan Hurd, McCusker, Grace McCallum, and Eaker.[24] As a result of making the World Championship team, Smith was added back onto the National Team. While in Doha she was chosen as the alternate.[25] Although she did not compete at the World Championships, she still earned a gold medal alongside her teammates.[26]

In December Smith officially signed with the Oklahoma Sooners women's gymnastics program, starting in the 2020–21 season.[27]

2019

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In 2019, Smith attended the U.S. Women's National Team camps in January,[28] February,[29] and May[30] but was noticeably absent from the June camp, despite all other National Team members being in attendance,[31] sparking rumors that she was going to attend the University of Oklahoma in the fall. In July, Smith confirmed on Instagram that she had decided to join the Oklahoma Sooners for the 2019–2020 season,[32] presumably ending her elite career as she was not on the roster to compete at the upcoming U.S. Classic.[33]

NCAA career

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2019–2020 season

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In July, Smith announced that she would be joining the Oklahoma Sooners women's gymnastics team for the 2019–2020 season, instead of deferring for a year like she had originally planned.[32] She made her NCAA debut at the Collegiate Challenge where she competed the all-around and helped Oklahoma finish first, recording the highest score on balance beam for her team.

2021–2022 season

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Smith competed on January 9 in a meet against Alabama. She competed on uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise, helping Oklahoma win the meet.[34] On February 6, in a meet against Texas Women's University, Smith earned her first collegiate perfect ten on the balance beam.[35]

Career perfect 10.0

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Season Date Event Meet
2022 February 6, 2022 Balance beam Oklahoma vs TWU
February 11, 2022 Oklahoma vs George Washington
2023 January 29, 2023 Oklahoma @ Denver
March 18, 2023 Big 12 Championships
March 30, 2023 Norman Regional Semifinal
2024 February 17, 2024 Metroplex Challenge
February 23, 2024 Oklahoma vs West Virginia
March 1, 2024 Oklahoma vs Michigan
March 3, 2024 Oklahoma @ TWU
March 23, 2024 Big 12 Championships
April 4, 2024 Michigan Regional Semifinal

NCAA Regular season ranking

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[36]

Season All-Around Vault Uneven Bars Balance Beam Floor Exercise
2020[a] N/A N/A 7th 13th 45th
2021 N/A N/A 55th 19th 37th
2022 N/A N/A 33rd 1st 12th
2023 N/A N/A 21st 5th 60th
2024 N/A N/A 18th 1st 27th
  1. ^ The season was cancelled after the 10th week of competition due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Selected competitive skills

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Apparatus Name Description Difficulty[a] Performed
Vault Baitova Yurchenko entry, laid out salto backwards with two twists 5.4 2016–18
Uneven Bars Inbar 1/1 Inbar Stalder to full (1/1) pirouette E 2016–18
Ricna Stalder to counter reversed straddled hecht over high bar E 2016–18
Downie Stalder backward on high bar with counter-pike reverse hecht over bar F 2017–18
Balance Beam Double Pike Dismount: Double piked salto backwards E 2016–18
Front Pike Piked Salto Forwards E 2017
Layout Laid out salto backwards with legs together (to two feet) E 2016–18
Mitchell 1080° (3/1) turn in tuck stand on one leg E 2018
Shishova Full-twisting (1/1) tucked salto backwards F 2016–18
Patterson Dismount: Tucked Arabian double front dismount G 2016
Floor Exercise Andreasen Tucked Arabian double salto forward E 2016–18
Triple Twist Triple-twisting (3/1) laid-out salto backward E 2016–18
Double Layout Double laid out salto backwards F 2016–18
  1. ^ Valid for the 2017–2020 Code of Points

Competitive history

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Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
HOPEs
2012 U.S. Classic (HOPEs)     7    
Junior
2013 U.S. Classic 6
U.S. National Championships 17 10 8
2014 City of Jesolo Trophy   8
U.S. Classic 13 12  
U.S. National Championships 7 8 29    
2015 City of Jesolo Trophy   5    
U.S. Classic     7 4  
U.S. National Championships   6 7    
Senior
2016 City of Jesolo Trophy        
Pacific Rim Championships    
U.S. Classic 6 5
U.S. National Championships 8 11 5 13
U.S. Olympic Trials 5 11 10   6
Olympic Games [a]
2017 American Cup  
U.S. Classic    
P&G National Championships        
World Championships[b] WD WD
2018 City of Jesolo Trophy      
U.S. Classic 11  
U.S. National Championships 10 11 8 11
Worlds Team Selection Camp 5 4 8   4
World Championships  [a]
NCAA
2020 Big-12 Championships Canceled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the USA[37]
NCAA Championships
2021 Big-12 Championships      
NCAA Championships    
2022 Big-12 Championships     24  
NCAA Championships   26 12 7
2023 NCAA Championships  
2024 Big-12 Championships       7
NCAA Championships 6  
  1. ^ a b Smith was the Team USA alternate.
  2. ^ Smith qualified to the All-Around and Floor Exercise finals in 2nd and 1st respectively but had to withdraw from both due to an injury sustained before the AA final.

References

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  1. ^ "Smith wins women's all-around crown at 2017 P&G Championships". USA Gymnastics. August 20, 2017. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  2. ^ "Ragan Smith". usagym.org. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  3. ^ "The Official Website of Ragan Smith". Archived from the original on 2015-01-23. Retrieved 2015-01-23.
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2015-01-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "2015 City of Jesolo Trophy Final Results". 28 March 2015.
  6. ^ "US Gymnastics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-08. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  7. ^ "US Gymnastics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-12-21. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  8. ^ "Ragan Smith commits to Oklahoma for 2019-20 season! | the Gym Digest". Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  9. ^ "2016 City of Jesolo Trophy Results". 19 March 2016.
  10. ^ "MyUSAGym". myusagym.com. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  11. ^ "2017 U.S. Classic – Seniors". FloGymnastics.
  12. ^ "Smith grabs first U.S. all-around title on final night of P&G Championships". USA Gymnastics. August 20, 2017.
  13. ^ "Meet The 2017 U.S. Women's World Championships Team". FloGymnastics. September 20, 2017.
  14. ^ "USA Gymnastics names U.S. Women's Team for 2017 World Championships". USA Gymnastics. September 20, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  15. ^ "Pedigree shines through nerves as U.S. women poised for World Championships success". USA Gymnastics. October 4, 2017.
  16. ^ "Ragan Smith Injured, Out Of AA Final At 2017 Gymnastics World Championships". FloGymnastics. October 6, 2017.
  17. ^ "Pain, training and 73 medals: Inside the life of US gymnastics all-around champion Ragan Smith". SportsDay. 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
  18. ^ "U.S. Gymnasts Set To Compete At 2018 City of Jesolo Trophy". FloGymnastics. February 19, 2018.
  19. ^ "U.S. Seniors Populate The Podium, Malabuyo Is AA Champ". FloGymnastics. April 14, 2018.
  20. ^ "Junior and Senior Event Finals: RESULTS & RECAP". FloGymnastics. April 15, 2018.
  21. ^ "World, Olympic, U.S. champions expected to compete at 2018 GK U.S. Classic". USA Gymnastics. July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  22. ^ "Biles, Wong win all-around titles at 2018 GK U.S. Classic". USA Gymnastics. July 28, 2018. Archived from the original on July 30, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  23. ^ "Biles wins U.S. women's World Team Selection Camp competition". USA Gymnastics. October 11, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  24. ^ "USA Gymnastics announces 2018 U.S. Women's World Championships Team". USA Gymnastics. October 12, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  25. ^ "Qualification line-up for U.S. women is announced for 2018 World Championships". USA Gymnastics. October 25, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  26. ^ "U.S. women win team title at 2018 World Championships, qualify for 2020 Olympic Games". USA Gymnastics. October 30, 2018. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  27. ^ @ou_wgymnastics (December 21, 2018). "Our 2019 signing class: Vanessa Deniz, Ragan Smith & Brooke Weins!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  28. ^ "Women's U.S. National Team kicks off 2019 with January camp". USA Gymnastics. January 20, 2019.
  29. ^ "U.S. women's February training camp begins today". USA Gymnastics. February 21, 2019.
  30. ^ "Women's national team meets for May camp". USA Gymnastics. May 1, 2019.
  31. ^ "Women's June national team camp will determine athletes for 2019 Junior World Championships Team, Pan American Games training squad". USA Gymnastics. June 12, 2019.
  32. ^ a b "Ragan Smith Oklahoma announcement". Instagram. July 7, 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24.
  33. ^ "Biles, 2018 World Championships team gold medalists headline field for 2019 GK U.S. Classic". USA Gymnastics. July 9, 2019.
  34. ^ Aber, Ryan (January 9, 2022). "OU women's gymnastics: Third-ranked Sooners top sixth-ranked Alabama in season opener". The Oklahoman.
  35. ^ "'An amazing feeling': Ragan Smith's perfect 10.0 helps OU women's gymnastics beat TWU before strong crowd". OU Daily. February 6, 2022.
  36. ^ "Road to Nationals - NCAA Gymnastics Rankings". roadtonationals.com. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  37. ^ "NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships due to coronavirus concerns". NCAA. March 13, 2020.
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