Elizabeth Beisel

The youngest member of USA's 2008 Olympics swimming team, backstroke and individual medley specialist Elizabeth Beisel went on to win medals at the World Aquatic Championships, the Pan Pacific Games and London 2012. Born in Saunderstown, RI, Beisel took little time following in her college swimmer mother's footsteps, competing for the Attleboro Bluefish Swim Club from the age of 12 and landing a place in the USA national team aged just 13. Beisel made her major international debut at the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne where she reached the semi-finals of the 200m backstroke, and a year later qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finishing a highly respectable fourth and fifth in the finals of the 400m individual medley and 200m backstroke and respectively. After placing first in both of her events at the 2009 National Championships, Beisel picked up her first international medal at the World Aquatics Championships later that same year when she won the 200m backstroke. Beisel then won two golds at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships, and then another in the 400m individual medley at the 2011 WACs in Shanghai before accepting a scholarship at the University of Florida. There, she helped Gregg Troy's Florida Gators swimming and diving club to four consecutive Top 10 placings in the NCAA National Championships and received 18 All-American honors, while also continuing to compete at international level too. Beisel added two Olympic medals to her collection at the 2012 London Olympics when she won a silver in the 400m individual medley and a bronze in the 200m backstroke, both with personal best times. Another bronze followed at the 2013 WACs in the 400m individual medley, but a groin strain sadly kept her out of contention for a medal placing in the 2015 championships.