Kelley Becherer

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Kelley Becherer
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1990-07-03) July 3, 1990 (age 35)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Home townSheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle, Breaststroke
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 50 m freestyle S13
Gold medal – first place 2012 London 50 m freestyle S13
Gold medal – first place 2012 London 100 m freestyle S13
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing 100 m freestyle S13
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing 400 m freestyle S13
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London 200 m individual medley SM13
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London 100 m breaststroke SB13
IPC World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Eindhoven 50m freestyle S13
Gold medal – first place 2010 Eindhoven 100m freestyle S13
Gold medal – first place 2010 Eindhoven 100m backstroke S13
Gold medal – first place 2010 Eindhoven 200m medley SM13
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Eindhoven 400m freestyle S13
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Eindhoven 100m butterfly S13}

Kelley Becherer (born July 3, 1990) is a visually impaired Paralympic swimmer. At the 2008 Summer Paralympics she won a gold medal and two bronze medals.[1] She also competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics and won two gold medals for the United States at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.

Early life and education

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Becherer was born with bilateral coloboma and microphthalmia[2] and grew up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.[3] She began swimming at age six or seven.[4]

She attended Northeastern University from 2009 to 2015 in their physical therapy program.[2] While at Northeastern, Becherer competed as a Division 1 swimmer.[5]

Career

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Becherer made her Paralympic debut at age 14 at the 2004 Summer Paralympics.[2] She competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics and won a gold medal in the 50m freestyle and bronze medals in the 100m freestyle and one in the 400m freestyle.[6]

At the 2012 Paralympic Nationals, Becherer won the 100m and 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke and set a world record in the 50m backstroke.[7] At the 2012 Summer Paralympics, she won gold in women’s S13 50 freestyle, setting an American Paralympic record with a time of 27.46.[8] She also won gold in the 100m freestyle S13,[9] and bronze in the 200m individual medley SM13 and 100m breaststroke SB13.[10]

Becherer announced her retirement from competitive swimming in 2013, citing a desire to focus on school.[11] She was inducted into the Wisconsin Swimming Hall of Fame in 2018.[3] She went to the 2024 Summer Paralympics as a orthopedic physical therapist for Team USA and practices as a physiotherapist at UC San Diego Health’s outpatient sports clinic.[2]

Personal life

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After graduating from Northeastern, Becherer moved to San Diego.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "IPC bio". Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e Velasco, Schuyler (October 15, 2024). "Northeastern graduate Kelley Becherer is a repeat Paralympian — most recently, as a physical therapist". Northeastern Global News. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Keith, Braden (April 28, 2018). "Olympic, Paralympic Champions Inducted into Wisconsin Swimming HOF". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  4. ^ Convey, Eamon (August 12, 2010). "Kelley Becherer in swim". Boston Herald. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  5. ^ Keith, Braden (September 2, 2012). "Mallory Weggemann Bounces Back from Reclass, Tops Long for First Paralympic Medal". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  6. ^ "Kelley Becherer - Women's Swimming and Diving". Northeastern University Athletics. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  7. ^ "A look back at 2012-13". Northeastern University Athletics. June 28, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  8. ^ Keith, Braden (September 1, 2012). "Race of the Century: Simmonds Tops Arlen on Day 3 at Paralympics in Superstar Matchup". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  9. ^ Keith, Braden (September 2, 2012). "Mallory Weggemann Bounces Back from Reclass, Tops Long for First Paralympic Medal". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  10. ^ "Two gold and two bronze cap London 2012 for Becherer". Northeastern University Athletics. September 1, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  11. ^ Long, Jessica (August 9, 2013). "Enjoying every minute". ESPN. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
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