Three-time Olympic swimmer Elizabeth Beisel did not compete at the Olympic Trials on Saturday but she kicked things off with a tremendous rendition of the national anthem prior to the meet. The 31-year-old backstroke and medley specialist traded her goggles for a violin and let it rip.
However, her warmup was just as good or better than her performance!
Beisel swam for Team USA in Beijing as a 15-year-old, won a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley and a bronze medal in the 200-meter backstroke in London, and swam in Rio in 2016. She also won a gold medal at the World Championships in 2011.
Now retired from competition, Beisel is involved with the sport through multiple charitable and academic ventures like the SPIRE Institute and Academy. NBC also brought her on as an analyst for the Olympic Trials and the Olympic Games in Paris. She even worked as a lifeguard.
And that’s not all!
When Beisel isn’t teaching others to love swimming or in the booth, the University of Florida graduate can be found with a violin under her chin.
She and Katie Ledecky performed a beautiful duet together in 2018. The latter, of course, is the greatest female swimmer in American history. But the former might be the better musician!
Beisel was invited to perform the national anthem prior to the final Saturday of competition in Indianapolis. As is the case with anything that she does, it was incredible!
As good as Beisel was on ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’ her performance of ‘Seven Nation Army’ during the sound check was even cooler. The building was mostly empty so her bow hitting the strings echoed throughout Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.
Everything about Elizabeth Beisel is extremely cool, calm and collected. Very few people are as multitalented as one of the best personalities in sports!