Elizabeth Beisel

Elizabeth Beisel
Personal information
Full name Elizabeth Lyon Beisel
Nickname(s) "Bekel," "Diesel"
National team  United States
Born (1992-08-18) August 18, 1992
Saunderstown, Rhode Island
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight 137 lb (62 kg)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Backstroke, individual medley
Club Bluefish Swim Club, Gator Swim Club (Florida)
College team University of Florida

Elizabeth Lyon Beisel (born August 18, 1992) is an American competition swimmer who specializes in backstroke and individual medley events. Beisel placed second in the 400m individual medley at the 2016 US Olympic Swimming Trials, qualifying for her third Olympic team. She has won a total of nine medals in major international competition, four gold, one silver, and four bronze spanning the Olympics, World Aquatics, and the Pan Pacific championships. Beisel competed in the 200-meter backstroke and 400-meter individual medley events at the 2008 Summer Olympics, placing fifth and fourth, respectively, in the world. She won the silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley and bronze in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Early years

Beisel was born in Saunderstown, Rhode Island in 1992,[1] the daughter of Ted and Joan Beisel.[2] She graduated from North Kingstown High School in North Kingstown, Rhode Island in 2010.[1] Her mother was a college swimmer for the University of Rhode Island. From the age of 12 through high school, she competed for the Bluefish Swim Club while training under coach Chuck Batchelor.[3] Beisel became a member of the U.S. national swim team when she was 13 years old.[1]

College career

Beisel accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she swam for coach Gregg Troy's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 2011 to 2014.[4][5] She won nine Southeastern Conference (SEC) individual championships, and was honored as the SEC Female Swimmer of the Year in 2012.[5] Beisel also won the NCAA individual championships in the 200-yard backstroke in 2012, and the 400-yard individual medley in 2013, leading the Lady Gators to a seventh, tenth, sixth and sixth-place team finishes at the NCAA national championships.[5] She received eighteen All-American honors and earned first-team Academic All-America recognition.[5]

International career

2007 World Championships

At the age of 14, Beisel competed in the 2007 World Championships. She advanced to the semi-finals and placed twelfth overall in the 200-meter backstroke.[6]

2008 Summer Olympics

At the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, Beisel finished second to Katie Hoff in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:32.87. Hoff went on to set the world record in that race.[7] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel finished second to Margaret Hoelzer, who also set the world record.[8]

As a 15-year-old, Beisel was the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic swim team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.[9] Beisel clocked the best time in the preliminaries of the 400-meter individual medley, and finished fourth in the final with a time of 4:34.24.[10] She had the second fastest time in the semi-finals of the 200-meter backstroke,[10] and finished fifth in the final.[11]

2009 World Championships

At the 2009 National Championships, Beisel competed in four individual events and qualified to swim in two finals. In the 400-meter individual medley, Beisel edged Julia Smit with a time of 4:36.31.[12] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel finished first with a time of 2:08.80. Margaret Hoelzer, the Olympic silver medalist in Beijing, finished third.[13]

In her first event at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel finished third in the final with a time of 2:06.39, just missing Hoelzer's American record of 2:06.09.[14] In the 400-meter individual medley final, Beisel placed fifth.[15]

2010 Pan Pacific Championships

At the 2010 National Championships, Beisel competed in two events. In the 400-meter individual medley, the defending national champion slipped to fourth place.[16] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel successfully defended her national title, finishing first with a time of 2:08.50.[17]

At the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Beisel won two gold medals. Her first gold medal came in the 400-meter individual medley, in which she finished first with a time of 4:34.69. It was three seconds faster than the second-place finisher and was Beisel's first international gold medal.[18] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel won her second gold medal with a time of 2:07.83.[19]

2011 World Aquatics Championships

At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, China, Beisel competed in two events, the 200-meter backstroke and the 400-meter individual medley. After qualifying third in both the heats (2:08.40) and semi-finals (2:07.82) of the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel finished in fifth place in the final with a time of 2:08.16. In her second and final event the 400-meter individual medley, Beisel won the gold in a time of 4:31.78. In the heats, Beisel posted the top qualifying time with a 4:34.95. Her nearest competitor, Hannah Miley, was over two seconds behind. This was Beisel's first individual title at a World Aquatics Championships.[20]

2012 Summer Olympics

At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Beisel qualified for the U.S. Olympic team by placing first in the women's 400-meter individual medley. In the final, Beisel posted a personal best time of 4:31.74, finishing more than two seconds ahead of teammate Caitlin Leverenz.[21] She also qualified in the 200-meter backstroke by placing second, behind Missy Franklin, with a time of 2:07.58. In her third event, the 400-meter freestyle, Beisel placed fifth in a time of 4:07.29.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Beisel posted a time of 4:31.68 in the preliminaries of the 400-meter individual medley. She was seeded first going into the finals, and received a silver medal for finishing second behind China's Ye Shiwen with a time of 4:31.27 to Ye's 4:28.46.[22] She also won a bronze medal by placing third in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:06.55, behind American Missy Franklin and Russian Anastasia Zuyeva.

2016 Summer Olympics

At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials held in Omaha, Nebraska, Beisel qualified for her 3rd Olympic team in the women's 400-meter individual medley. In the finals, Beisel swam a 4:36.81 for 2nd place behind Maya Dirado, who won the event with a 4:33.73.

In Rio de Janeiro, Beisel finished sixth in the final of the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:34.98.

Personal bests (long course)

As of August 2, 2012.
Event Time Venue Date
200 m backstroke 2:06.18 London August 2, 2012
400 m individual medley 4:31.27 London July 28, 2012

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 U.S. Olympic Committee, Swimming, Athletes, Elizabeth Beisel. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  2. ↑ Randal Edgar, "Hundreds will join Beisel's dad in watching Olympics on TV," The Providence Journal (August 8, 2008). Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  3. ↑ Bob Schaller, "20 Questions Tuesday: Chuck Batchelor," USA Swimming (March 18, 2014). Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Swimming World Six Star Elizabeth Beisel Makes College Decision," Swimming World Magazine (October 31, 2009). Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 GatorZone.com, Women's Swimming & Diving, 2011–12 Roster, Elizabeth Beisel. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
  6. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 12th FINA World Championships, Women's 200m Backstroke Semifinals. (March 30, 2007). Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  7. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Women's 400m Individual Medley Final. (June 29, 2008). Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  8. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Women's 200m Backstroke Final. (July 5, 2008). Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  9. ↑ Karen Crouse, "Flaws Are Revealed at Unforgiving Trials," The New York Times (July 7, 2008). Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  10. 1 2 Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Elizabeth Beisel. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  11. ↑ Christopher Clarey, "Zimbabwe’s Coventry Defends Title in Backstroke," The New York Times (August 15, 2008). Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  12. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2009 Conoco Phillips National Championships, Women's 400m Individual Medley Final. (July 9, 2009). Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  13. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2009 Conoco Phillips National Championships, Women's 200m Backstroke Final. (July 10, 2009). Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  14. ↑ W. Zachary Malinowski, "Elizabeth Beisel wins the bronze in the 200 backstroke at World Swim Championships," The Providence Journal (August 1, 2009). Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  15. ↑ Robert Lee, "North Kingstown's Beisel finishes fifth in the 400-meter IM in Rome," The Providence Journal (August 2, 2009). Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  16. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships,Women's 400m Individual Medley Final. (August 5, 2010). Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  17. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships,Women's 200m Backstroke Final. (August 6, 2010). Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  18. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships,Women's 400m Individual Medley Final. (August 19, 2010). Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  19. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships,Women's 200m Backstroke Final. (August 20, 2010). Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  20. ↑ "FINA World Championships, Swimming: Elizabeth Beisel Smashes Textile Best in 400 IM Triumph," Swimming World Magazine (July 31, 2011). Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  21. ↑ Omega Timekeeping, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Women's 400m Individual Medley Final. (June 25, 2012). Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Hannah Miley fifth as Ye Shiwen breaks medley world record". Retrieved July 28, 2012.
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