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By David Rieder.
Swimming in her sixth World Championships, Elizabeth Beisel knows that this one in Budapest will “probably” be her last.
She came to Budapest to swim just one race, the 400 IM. She only made the team because Ella Eastin was disqualified in the event at U.S. Nationals after touching second. But as soon as Beisel did make the team, she vowed to make her experience worth something for the U.S. team.
“I’m going to do my best to represent the United States of America the best I can, but for me, I bring more leadership for the team than medals,” she said at U.S. Nationals last month. “And that’s what I’m excited for, because I have one more chance to really show these young guns what to do.”
Named a U.S. team captain yet again, Beisel has been a staple in the cheering section over the first seven days of the World Championships, and she has watched proudly as the team has dominated, winning 31 medals and 14 gold through seven days.
Saturday night, while resting up for her 400 IM final, she watched from her hotel room as Caeleb Dressel, her teammate and training partner for two years at the University of Florida, became the first man to win three gold medals in a single day at a World Championships.
“He’s my hero, my inspiration, and the greatest thing is it couldn’t happen to a better person,” Beisel said. “Sometimes good things happen to good people, and he’s just one of them.”
Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA
Now, on the last night of the meet, the floor is hers. She walked out in the final heat of the women’s 400 IM to a full pack of serenading American teammates, and she qualified third for the final, posting a time of 4:36.18.
“It was the loudest cheers ever from our team area, and I literally almost started crying—tears of joy and happiness,” Beisel said. “To know that the team is so behind me means more than they know.”
What exactly can she put together for the final? Hard to tell. After taking more than six months off after the Olympics, she’s had to scramble to put herself in the kind of form good enough to even make the World Championship final.
Already in prelims, she’s dropped more than two seconds from her season-best time in the event (which had been a 4:38.55 from last month’s Nationals). Surely, it will take much faster to win a medal, and Beisel isn’t sure if she has trained enough to pull off two good efforts in an event as grueling as the 400 IM in the span of nine hours.
Beisel has previously won a World title in the 400 IM, winning gold back in 2011 in Shanghai. It would be a stunner to see her reach that level again, but so what?
For her, this final is not about that. She will walk out as bubbly as ever, taking in the atmosphere of swimming in front of a packed house of 12,000. The U.S. teammates that Beisel has captained will be screaming their hearts out.
She will stand behind the blocks and swim the race with the knowledge that she may never do so again.
When it’s over, whatever the result, Beisel will be emotional, and she knows it. But as long as the experience lasts, she will relish it.
“There’s just no pressure,” she said. “I’ve had an amazing career, and I don’t think I really have anything to prove. I’m really trying to take it in the best I can.”
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If this is her final race, she exemplified USA Swimming. Thank you Elizabeth.
she has been a name in us and world swimming for a long time and i wish her the best of luck
She is amazing and has represented team USA ?? well!!
Amazing! Really worth reading!??
Great article, for a great ambassador for the sport!
My favorite of favorites, she is in her own league. What an amazing person!
Yay Elizabeth! Go Gators! 😉
Murron Kate Beezul’s last World Final! ?
Omg? She’s my favorite ever.❤️
I love ???♀️ beezul rocks
This woman is the icon of competitive swimming. We love her spirit. Thank you for all that you have contributed to the sport and inspiring my daughter to want to be the next generation of world class swimming.