Elizabeth Pelton
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Elizabeth Anne Pelton (born November 26, 1993) is a former American competitive
swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
, multi FINA world champion, multi NCCA Champion, and 4x former American Record holder. Pelton also secured NCAA Swimmer of the Year, NCAA Swimmer of the Meet, Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year, Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 Swimmer of the Meet honors her freshman year of college.


Personal

Pelton is an American swimmer and multiple FINA World Champion. She has been competing against at the world's best since 2009, at the age of 15. Pelton grew up in
Fairfield, Connecticut Fairfield is a New England town, town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It borders the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Bridgeport and towns of Trumbull, Connecticut, Trumbull, Easton, Connecticut, Easton, Weston, Connecticut, W ...
and swam for the Wilton Wahoos before moving to swim at Badger Swim Club in
Larchmont, New York Larchmont is a Village (New York), village located within the Town (New York), Town of Mamaroneck (town), New York, Mamaroneck in Westchester County, New York. Larchmont is a suburb of New York City, located approximately northeast of Midt ...
under esteemed coach John Collins. In 2006, Pelton moved to
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
to swim with North Baltimore Aquatic Club, one of the most elite swim programs in the world. She trained with Paul Yetter, as well as Bob Bowman, coaches who produced Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, among the other multiple Olympians from that site. Pelton trained at the T2 Aquatics Swim Club in 2012 in
Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 19,115, down from 19,539 at the 2010 census. Naples is a principal city of the Collier County, Florida, Naples–Marc ...
, under Paul Yetter. After 2012, Pelton began her college career at the University of California Berkeley, swimming under the 2012 head London Olympic Swimming Team Women's coach, Teri McKeever. McKeever has produced multiple olympians, in particular, the most decorated female Olympian in history, Natalie Coughlin. Some others included are Dana Vollmer, Emily Silver, Caitlin Leverenz, Rachel Bootsma, Kathleen Baker, and Sara Isokovic. Pelton recently announced her official retirement from the sport at the 2016 Swimming Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. Pelton is a current student at UC Berkeley. Elizabeth comes from a swimming family with her older brother Gregory swimming for Harvard, sister Mary who swims for University of Virginia, and younger brother William also swimming University of California - Berkeley. Her father also swam for
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
and is an MD at Columbia Medicine School.


High school

At the 2009 U.S. Nationals and World Championship Trials, Pelton placed second in the 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke, and 200-meter individual medley, earning berths on the U.S. national team for the
2009 World Aquatics Championships The 2009 World Aquatics Championships () or the XIII FINA World Championships were held in Rome, Italy from 18 July to 2 August 2009. This was the second time the championships were held in the city after being previously hosted in 1994 World Aq ...
in Rome. Pelton opted not to compete in the 200-meter individual medley in Rome because of a scheduling conflict with the 100-meter backstroke, and was replaced by
Ariana Kukors Ariana Kukors (born June 1, 1989) is an American former competition swimmer and former world record holder in the 200-meter individual medley (long course). Ariana now works in private coaching related to athletic performance. Kukors has won a ...
for the event. Pelton also opted to swim the 50-meter backstroke at the World Championships. At the 2009 FINA World Championships, Pelton placed sixth in the 200-meter backstroke (2:08.04), 13th in the 100-meter backstroke (1:00.51), and 22nd in the 50-meter backstroke (28.86). Additionally, Pelton swam the backstroke leg of the 4x100-meter medley relay preliminaries.


College

Pelton attended the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
, where she joined the
California Golden Bears The California Golden Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Berkeley. Referred to in athletic competition as ''California'' or ''Cal'', the university fields 30 varsity athletic programs and various club te ...
swimming team in 2012. In her first season at Cal, she set the American record in the 200-yard backstroke, then bested her own record again at 2013 Pac-12 Conference championships (1:48.39), then breaking the national, U.S. open record at the 2013 NCAAs with 1:47.84. Elizabeth had an outstanding freshman season for the Bears, earning 2013 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, NCAA Swimmer of the Meet, Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year, Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 Swimmer of the Meet honors. In 2014, at the Pac-12 meet, earned conference titles in the 200 back (1:52.18) and on the 800 free relay; also third in the 200 IM (1:55.65) and sixth in the 200 free (1:45.12). At 2014 NCAA Championships, she was a member of Cal's NCAA champion 800 free relay at the 2014 meet; also was the NCAA runner-up in the 200 back (1:50.55), fourth in the 200 IM (1:54.80) and 12th in the 200 free (1:44.59). In 2015, her junior year, placed second in the 200 IM (1:53.80), fifth in the 200 free (1:43.44) and second in the 200 back (1:50.27). At the NCAA Championships meet, she helped the 800 free relay set an American record at the 2015 Pac-12 Championships with a time of 6:50.18, and was 2015 NCAA runner-up to Missy Franklin in the 200 IM (1:52.80); tied for fifth in the 100 back (51.67) and placed seventh in the 200 back (1:52.08). In 2016, her senior year, Pelton served as Team Captain, helping the Bears place 3rd overall at the NCAA Championships in Atlanta, GA. A CSCAA Scholar All-American in 2014 and an honorable mention Pac-12 All-Academic choice in 2014 and 2015 School record-holder in the 200 back (1:47.84); top 10 in Cal Berkeley history in: 200 free (3rd, 1:42.13), 200 IM (3rd, 1:52.80), 400 IM (6th, 4:09.89), 100 back (4th, 51.26) and 100 free (6th, 47.78)


National success

At the 2014 Phillips 66 National Championships, placed third in the 100m back (1:00.76), fifth in the 200 back (2:11.99) and fifth in the 50m back (28.85), qualifying for the Pan Pacific team. Finished second to Cal teammate Missy Franklin in both the 100 back (59.27) and 200 back (2:06.29) at the 2013 U.S. National Championships; also placed sixth in the 100m free in 54.65. At the 2011 ConocoPhillips National Championships, won a silver in the 200m backstroke and a silver in the 800m freestyle relay.


International success

Earned a silver medal in the 100m back at the 2015 World University Games in South Korea (1:00.65); also swam on the finals relay for the U.S. 400m medley relay, which took the bronze; in addition, was ninth in the 50m back. Competed in two individual events at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships in Australia, taking seventh in the 100m back (1:01.37) and ninth in the 200m back (2:09.95). Pelton captured gold medals as a member of the 400m medley relay and 400m free relay at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona; also took fourth in the 100 back (59.45) and fifth in the 200 back (2:08.98). Pelton won a gold medal in the 400m medley relay at the 2011 World Championships, swimming the backstroke lead off leg. At the 2009 World Championships, placed sixth in the 200 back (2:08.04), 13th in the 100 back (1:00.51) and 22nd in the 50 back. Qualified to compete in the 200 IM but opted out due to a scheduling conflict with the 100 back. At the 2011 Pan American Games, won a silver in the 100m back and gold in the 200m back. Pelton won a silver in the 200m back in the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships. Pelton was on the USA's 2009 and 2011 Duel in the Pool teams.


Personal bests (long course)

.


See also

*
List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women) This is the complete list of women's World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming from 1973 to 2024. Medalists Bold numbers in brackets denotes record number of victories in corresponding disciplines. 50 metre freestyle *Medals: 100 ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pelton, Elizabeth 1993 births Living people American female backstroke swimmers American female freestyle swimmers World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Sportspeople from Fairfield, Connecticut Medalists at the 2015 Summer Universiade Summer World University Games medalists in swimming FISU World University Games silver medalists for the United States Swimmers at the 2011 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in swimming Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in swimming 21st-century American sportswomen California Golden Bears women's swimmers