	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. OLYMPIC SWIM TRIALS

June 24, 2016

Elizabeth Beisel

Omaha, Nebraska

THE MODERATOR: Up next we have two-time Olympian, Elizabeth Beisel, who has obviously experienced some success here in Omaha in 2008 and 2012. Just start things off with a question to Elizabeth. Just reflect on your past experiences here and what it's like to be back here in Omaha.

ELIZABETH BEISEL: I've been very successful the past few times I was back here, so it's awesome to be pack here in Omaha, I was very excited that USA Swimming decided to have it here again and definitely hoping to recreate what I've done the past two times to make the team again, and I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a good meet.

Q. Elizabeth, just wondering, I guess, how it felt to pop that really good IM in Atlanta leading into this and maybe the journey to get back up to that level of performance?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: I definitely needed that performance in Atlanta. I think it helped my confidence a lot coming into the Olympic Trials, but that being said you can't ever really count anybody out, especially at this meet. There is a lot of up-and-comers that can come out of nowhere and sort of surprise you so you sorta just have to worry about yourself and not think about anybody else and just take care of what you have to do.

But, yeah, it was a long journey back to swimming fast, definitely hard, but, you know, it's good to be back, for sure.

Q. Given the journey that you've alluded to to get back to this place, what is your reaction when you hear of all these athletes, mainly basketball players and golfers, who are opting out of the Olympics; it clearly isn't a priority for them.
ELIZABETH BEISEL: To each their own, honestly. For us as swimmers, the Olympics is the pinnacle of our sport so obviously we're going to do everything we can to get there and obviously I've done that, hopefully.

You know, it's just their own decision and I would want to be at the Olympics if I had the chance, so that's what we're doing here.

Q. So last year obviously a rough year. Can you explain what exactly happened and what's been the difference in getting back to where you've been the past few months?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: So in Jan of 2015 I pulled my groin and tore my vastus lateralis; it's a muscle in your leg, basically. Physically an injury is very difficult to get over, but I think mentally it took a really big toll on me. I had never been injured, I had never really been swimming slow so consistently, so it really took a knock in my confidence, but I think after World's, I mentally reset and we went straight to Colorado Springs after World's, got in shape, rehabbed, got healthy, and it's not really hard to focus when it's an Olympic year.

It's just something that you have to do, and if you want it bad enough you'll do it, and I think that was one of the main things that really helped me overcome that and get back to where I am right now is knowing that it was an Olympic year and you don't have room for error or just messing around and not taking it seriously.

Q. What's been the difference in training and where does the confidence come from?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: There really hasn't been a difference in training. You know, I've stayed at the University of Florida. We grind day in, day out; it's always been the same, but the confidence came slowly. It came with every meet getting better and better, and I think Atlanta was really huge for me. It sorta put me back on the map and just for me mentally it was what I needed.

Q. Elizabeth, even though this is obviously a very individual pursuit here, everybody is trying to make the Olympic Team for themselves, but given sort of you've seen the times that have been posted around the world this spring and summer from other countries, and after sort of the disappointment of Kazan, how much is there a collective team USA pride here to put up times that everyone else in the world is seeing heading into Rio?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: I think that's definitely one of our goals, is to just prove to everybody that we still are the best team in the world, and despite our "poor performances" last summer, we were still the best team in the world last summer. We still won the meet. And we had Katie Ledecky carrying us on her shoulders, thank God for her! We're definitely going to be in the best shape that we can be in this summer, and I think the Olympic Trials is the perfect time. We're going to have the perfect team, and we're all very excited to head into Rio, hopefully.

Q. I'm curious, during your recovery what was your low point? What was the moment when you sort of doubted yourself the most?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: A low point was probably at one of the Grand Prix's that I went to in the spring of 2015 leading into Kazan. I think I went as slow as something like a 4:52 in the 400 IM wearing a suit. That's pretty terrible.

Obviously that was just a huge knock on my confidence. It was hard going into Kazan knowing that I was injured and I probably wasn't going to be my best, and it was hard. We were sorta toying with the options of maybe not going, maybe going, but we all decided that I should try it at least, and, you know, it wasn't great.

I got, like, 12th, I think, I don't even really remember, but it was almost great because I used this as motivation leading into the summer. I do not want a repeat of last summer, and I did everything in my power to make sure that it's not going to happen again this summer.

Q. Can you describe what it's like warming up when you have so many swimmers swimming every day? How chaotic is it?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: It's pretty chaotic. I would definitely say an international meet is way worse because you have people from Australia who swim counterclockwise, and it's just like a mess! It's something you just sorta have to get used to, you have to roll with the punches, literally, sometimes, and, you know, we're very fortunate here to have two huge pools plus a 25-meter pool, so hopefully that will "decrowd" it a little bit, but it's just something you have to deal with.

Q. One of the swimmers said that he thinks it could inhibit records from being set here, that the work -- that your regimen is thrown off just that much. What do you think of that?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: I don't think it's ever hindered my performance. I feel like I've always just found a way to deal with it. I mean, I just immediately went back to Pan Pac's in Australia two summers ago, and we were swimming in the freezing rain, and I went a best time in my 400 IM. Katie Ledecky was breaking records, so if a little cold, wind and rain can't hurt, I don't think a crowded warm-up lane is really that bad.

Q. Couple things, I want to follow-up. When you were asked about the golfers and basketball players dropping out and obviously for golf especially it seems to be the Zika is some of the reasons they're giving. Any concerns on your part about your safety going to Brazil and what that might mean?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: No, not at all. I think the USOC -- we're in the best hands possible. We're on the United States Olympic Team. We are going to be taken care of. August is the driest month in Brazil; it's their winter, so I'm sure we're going to be given bug spray and long-sleeved tee shirts and things like that to make sure we're going to be okay, but I'm not worried at all.

Q. On another unrelated point, the whole sort of doping thing that's swirling around in all of sports, particularly track and field at the moment, and there's been some cases in swimming, obviously, some allegations of tests covered up or people not punished. Are you confident that it's going to be a level playing field here and more so in Rio? What's your thoughts? Katie was saying there has been a lot of talk among swimmers about what's going on in the world and some concerns about that.
ELIZABETH BEISEL: There is definitely a lot of talk, but, you know, I'm 100% confident that the U.S. Olympic Team will be 100% clean; there is no doubt in my mind. And it is sad that some athletes, no matter what sport you're in, are choosing to dope. Athletics is so amazing you just want to sort of all be on the same playing field and just compete against each other and just race; that's what it's all about, and it's sad that it's been taken a step further into using drugs and cheating, but, you know, I can't control what anybody else does, so I'm just going to sorta have to worry about myself and take care of myself and hopefully perform the best that I can.

Q. (No microphone.)
ELIZABETH BEISEL: No, I'm not. I'm definitely not.

Q. (No microphone.)
ELIZABETH BEISEL: Sorry?

Q. (No microphone.)
ELIZABETH BEISEL: Just the talk, the rumors, speculation, just knowing people from around the world and other countries and hearing stuff. It's always going to be in the back of your mind, thinking about it.

Q. Maybe this is a good transition. The Olympic final in London, the 400 IM, what do you think about that final now and what happened in that race?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: I think that I wish I could have come home in a 57! You know? Then I would have won! (Chuckles.) You can't change what's already happened. I'm not going to dwell on it. I think an Olympic silver medal is awesome. I would be crazy if I weren't grateful for that. It was a true reflection of the work that I had done and the honest work that I had done, and, you know, if that was the best that I had that day, then that's what it was. It happens.

Q. When you are a member of a final like that one, can you see where it could turn someone's thinking from, okay, I want to do this the right way to, well, I've got -- if I can't beat 'em, join them?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: I could definitely see that. I'm sure some people have succumbed to that, and it's sad, you know, you want it to be an even playing field, but I would never do that. I am 100% clean. I always will be, and I am -- it is sad that people are doping. It's just sad.

Q. I'm curious, when you see Katie entered in the 400 IM, who knows if she'll swim it or not, what's your response to that and do you think it's something she could do?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: Oh, yeah, Katie Ledecky can do whatever she wants! You know, it's one of those things where I can't control whether or not she swims it. I can't really worry about her, but I have full confidence that if she were to train six weeks just IM, she would be really good at it!

Q. Looking back on happier times eight years ago when you made the team in the 400 IM and finished second to Katie Hoff, what was that experience like as a 15 year old and being back here maybe on the heels of that still-standing American record?
ELIZABETH BEISEL: Best moment of my swimming career by far! I think for anybody making your first Olympic Team is a dream come true; it's something that you dreamed of when you were little, so for me to do it against one of my best friends, Katie had broken the Olympic Record, and I remember looking at her and she looked at me after the race and she said, "Welcome to the club," meaning the Olympic club, and I get the chills thinking about it. It's an awesome feeling, and it's just as great the second time around and hopefully the third time around, but it is crazy to think that I've been on the scene for this long.

I feel extremely old, even though I don't think I am in the scheme of life. I am only 23 years old, but for the swimming community and swimming a 400 IM I might be a little aged, but I'm still having fun of it. I love it.

Q. (No microphone.)
ELIZABETH BEISEL: It's been very good to me. It's a love/hate!

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Elizabeth.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297