Elizabeth Beisel

Personal information
Full name	Elizabeth Beisel
Nickname(s)	"Bekel," "Diesel"
Nationality	United States
Born	(1992-08-18) August 18, 1992 (age 19) Saunderstown, Rhode Island
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight	134 lb (61 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Stroke(s)	Backstroke, medley
Club	Bluefish Swim Club
College team	University of Florida
Medal record Women's swimming Competitor for the  United States World Championships (LC) Gold 2011 Shanghai 400 m medley Bronze 2009 Rome 200 m backstroke Pan Pacific Championships Gold 2010 Irvine 200 m backstroke Gold 2010 Irvine 400 m medley

Elizabeth Beisel (born August 18, 1992) is an American college and international swimmer who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Beisel has won a total of four medals in major international competition, three gold, and one bronze spanning the World and the Pan Pacific championships.

Personal background[link]

Beisel was born in Saunderstown, Rhode Island in 1992,^[1] the daughter of Ted and Joan Beisel.^[2] She is a 2010 graduate of North Kingstown High School in North Kingstown, Rhode Island,^[1] and accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she swims for coach Gregg Troy's Florida Gators swimming and diving team, having enrolled in August 2010.^[3]

Career[link]

2007 World Championships[link]

At the age of 14, Beisel competed in the 2007 World Championships. She did not make it past the semifinals and placed twelfth overall in the 200-meter backstroke.^[4]

2008 Summer Olympics[link]

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.^[5] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel finished second to Margaret Hoelzer, who set the world record.^[6]

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.^[7] Beisel clocked the best time in the preliminary of the 400-meter individual medley, and finished fourth in the final with a time of 4:34.24.^[8] She had the second fastest time in the semifinals of the 200-meter backstroke,^[8] and finished fifth in the final.^[9]

2009 World Championships[link]

At the 2009 National Championships, Beisel competed in four individual events and qualified to swim in two events. In the 400-meter individual medley, Beisel barely finished ahead of Julia Smit with a time of 4:36.31.^[10] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel finished first with a time of 2:08.80. Margaret Hoelzer, the Olympic silver medalist in Beijing, finished in third.^[11]

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.^[12] In the 400-meter individual medley final, Beisel placed fifth.^[13]

2010 Pan Pacific Championships[link]

At the 2010 National Championships, Beisel competed in two events. In the 400-meter individual medley, the defending national champion could only manage 4th place.^[14] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel defended her national title finishing first with a time of 2:08.50.^[15]

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.^[16] In the 200-meter backstroke, Beisel won her second gold medal with a time of 2:07.83.^[17]

2011 World Aquatics Championships[link]

At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, 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 semifinals (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. After the race, Beisel said, "It was a very good surprise, and I just try to do my best to win medals."^[18]

Personal bests (long course)[link]

As of July 31, 2011.

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Olympics portal
	Swimming portal

• Florida Gators
• List of University of Florida Olympians

References[link]

External links[link]

• USA Swimming athlete bio: Elizabeth Beisel
• Elizabeth Beisel at the United States Olympic Committee

v t e 2008 USA Olympic Swimming Team Men's Team Nathan Adrian Ricky Berens Ian Crocker Mark Gangloff Matt Grevers Brendan Hansen Larsen Jensen Cullen Jones Klete Keller Jason Lezak Ryan Lochte Aaron Peirsol Michael Phelps Eric Shanteau Scott Spann Gil Stovall Peter Vanderkaay Erik Vendt David Walters Mark Warkentin Garrett Weber-Gale Benjamin Wildman-Tobriner Women's Team Amanda Beard Elizabeth Beisel Elaine Breeden Caroline Burckle Natalie Coughlin (Jessica Hardy) Kathleen Hersey Margaret Hoelzer Katie Hoff Megan Jendrick Kara Lynn Joyce Christine Magnuson Christine Marshall Lacey Nymeyer Allison Schmitt Emily Silver Julia Smit Rebecca Soni Chloe Sutton Dara Torres Kim Vandenberg Kate Ziegler Coaches Jack Bauerle (Women's Head Coach) Ray Benecki Bob Bowman Frank Busch Sean Hutchison Teri McKeever Eddie Reese (Men's Head Coach) Mark Schubert (National Team Head Coach) Gregg Troy Jon Urbanchek Paul Yetter