Tim Rizzo is the boyfriend of American swimmer Regan Smith. The Minnesota native Rizzo is also a swimmer at St. Olaf College. The 19-year-old Smith is competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Rizzo has been cheering on the first-time Olympian from home in the United States.
Rizzo and Smith have been teammates on the Riptide Swim Team in Apple Valley, Minnesota, according to the swim team’s Facebook page. Smith joined Riptide when she was 13, and her father is the swimming program’s co-director, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Here’s what you need to know about Tim Rizzo, Regan Smith’s boyfriend:
Regan Smith Has Been Dating Tim Rizzo Since High School
Smith is from Lakeville, Minnesota, and Rizzo is from Woodbury, Minnesota, about 30 minutes away. They have been dating since high school. Rizzo posted a photo on Instagram in 2016, when he invited Smith to a homecoming dance with a sign saying, “I avacdon’t wanna go to homecoming without you.” He wrote in the caption, “The pastability that were actually going is very low.”
Smith also got in the food-related pun game, posting a photo on a boat with Rizzo on Instagram with the caption, “Olive you to the lake and back.” And in another photo with Rizzo by the water, “This beach is one in a melon🍉”
Smith told NBC Sports in January 2021 she enjoyed spending the extra time she had after the Olympics were delayed with her boyfriend, family and friends. She had expected to head to Stanford University to swim in the fall of 2020 after Tokyo.
“Especially after the postponement I just kind of wanted to get my head away from that for a little while,” she told NBC Sports. “Definitely for like a week or two I kind of had some FOMO,” about not being at Stanford. College will come when it comes. Some day I’m going to have to move away from home and my family. I just want to enjoy it while I still can.”
She added, “I think I was a lot more in my head about it last year, whereas this year we’ve all had plenty of time to get a grip on things mentally. Instead of being worried about how quickly they’re coming up, I’m really just trying to be excited and be like it’s finally go-time and treat it like that instead of treating it like it’s some big scary thing, because it’s not. It should be exciting.”
Rizzo, Who Graduated From Woodbury High School, Swam in 2019-2020 at St. Olaf as a Freshman, but His Sophomore Season Was Canceled Because of COVID-19
Rizzo graduated from Woodbury High School in 2019. He was on the swimming and diving team at his Minnesota school for three years, and was the state runner-up in the 500-yard freestyle his senior year, according to his biography on the St. Olaf athletics website. He qualified for all-state three times in high school.
At St. Olaf, Rizzo was an NCAA qualifier in the 1,650-yard freestyle during his freshman season in 2020, but the meet was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Rizzo was a CSCAA All-American in 1,650-yard freestyle, MIAC champion in the 500-yard freestyle and the 1,650-yard freestyle. He was also a CSCAA Scholar All-American. Rizzo’s sophomore season in 2020-2021 was canceled because of COVID-19.
Rizzo, the son of Russell and Debra Rizzo, has three sisters, Marina, Lucia and Linnea, according to the St. Olaf bio. Marina swam collegiately at Gustavus and Lucia swims at Iowa State.
Rizzo Gushed About His Girlfriend on Instagram, Writing, ‘Check Back Here for a Post Anytime Regan Does Something Cool’
After Smith qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, Rizzo wrote on Instagram, “So excited to watch you in Tokyo. 🇺🇸🇯🇵 Pls check back here for a post anytime Regan does something cool. So proud of you❤️”
In 2019, Rizzo celebrated his girlfriend’s record-setting performance at the World Championships, writing on Instagram, “So proud of my buddy for killing it at worlds…3 WORLD RECORDS!! Come home now please.”
In January 2021, Smith wrote on Instagram, “Thankful for some extra time with you this year. Happy Anniversary 💌”
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Regan Smith’s Boyfriend Is Fellow Swimmer Tim Rizzo