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Athletes
Elizabeth
Beisel
United States of America, USA
Swimming
Biography
Further Personal Information
Date of birth
18 August 1992
Height
167 cm
Weight
66 kg
Residence
North Kingstown, RI, USA
Languages
English
Higher education
Communications - University of Florida: Gainesville, FL, USA
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She took up the sport at age five.
Why this sport?
She began swimming because she loved the water and discovered she was not good at diving. Her parents were also adamant that she should learn how to swim.
International Debut
Year
2006
Competing for
United States
Tournament
Pan Pacific Games
General Interest
Nicknames
Diesel, Bekel [at one meet, she was entered as 'Bekel' so people started to call her that]. (usaswimming.org, 06 Aug 2016)
Most influential person in career
Her parents. (usaswimming.org, 06 Aug 2016)
Hero / Idol
US open water swimmer Janet Evans. (USA Swimming, 08 Jul 2008)
Injuries
She missed four days training before the 2016 US Olympic Trials in Omaha, NE, United States of America, due to flu. At the event she fractured her finger in a warm-up pool after colliding with another swimmer. (firstcoastnews.com, Jul 2016)
A groin injury forced her to miss the 2015 Aquatic Super Series leg in Perth, WA, Australia. (swimswam.com, 28 Jan 2015)
A groin injury forced her to miss the 2015 Aquatic Super Series leg in Perth, WA, Australia. (swimswam.com, 28 Jan 2015)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"I realise that swimming isn't a rest-of-my-life career. I have chosen to enjoy what I do or else I would end up miserable going through the motions." (inquisitr.com, 03 Aug 2016)
Awards and honours
She was presented with the inaugural 2016 Team Leadership & Inspiration Award at the USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards. The honour was in recognition of her performance as team captain at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (teamusa.org, 22 Nov 2016)
She was named the 2012 Southeastern Conference [SEC] Female Swimmer of the Year in the United States of America. (gatorzone.com, 22 Jul 2013)
She was named the 2012 Southeastern Conference [SEC] Female Swimmer of the Year in the United States of America. (gatorzone.com, 22 Jul 2013)
Other sports
She was an Eastern Surfing Association divisional finalist in the United States of America. (USA Swimming, 12 Jul 2011)
Famous relatives
Her mother Joan swam for the University of Rhode Island in the United States of America. (USA Swimming, 12 Jul 2011)
Ambitions
Her dream career is being a sports reporter for ESPN, but she would settle for a job with a local news station. She hopes to land a role with NBC covering the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (swimswam.com, 2017; swimmingworldmagazine.com, 11 Sep 2017)
Other information
RETIREMENT TALK
In 2017 she hinted that she may soon retire from competitive swimming as she turns her focus towards media work and writing a book. "I'm slowly transitioning into that next phase of my life." (providencejournal.com, 08 Sep 2017; olympics.nbcsports.com, 29 Jun 2017)
MEDIA WORK
She worked in the sports department at her local NBC affiliate in Providence, RI, United States of America. (nytimes.com, 30 Jun 2017)
COACHING
She has worked as a volunteer swimming coach at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, United States of America. (turnto10.com, 27 Oct 2016)
AMBASSADOR
She is an ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, which promotes water safety and supports swimmers from grassroots to elite level. (usaswimmingfoundation.org, 2018; Twitter profile, 09 Aug 2017)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
She has spent time working with elite swimmers with an impairment. She has also volunteered with the Rhode Island Community Food Bank in the United States of America. (teamusa.org, 06 Aug 2016)
In 2017 she hinted that she may soon retire from competitive swimming as she turns her focus towards media work and writing a book. "I'm slowly transitioning into that next phase of my life." (providencejournal.com, 08 Sep 2017; olympics.nbcsports.com, 29 Jun 2017)
MEDIA WORK
She worked in the sports department at her local NBC affiliate in Providence, RI, United States of America. (nytimes.com, 30 Jun 2017)
COACHING
She has worked as a volunteer swimming coach at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, United States of America. (turnto10.com, 27 Oct 2016)
AMBASSADOR
She is an ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, which promotes water safety and supports swimmers from grassroots to elite level. (usaswimmingfoundation.org, 2018; Twitter profile, 09 Aug 2017)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
She has spent time working with elite swimmers with an impairment. She has also volunteered with the Rhode Island Community Food Bank in the United States of America. (teamusa.org, 06 Aug 2016)