AP Photo / Michael Sohn
United States' Missy Franklin, left, and compatriot Elizabeth Beisel celebrate after their first and third place finishes in the women's 200-meter backstroke final.
LONDON -- Elizabeth Beisel, the 19-year-old swimmer from North Kingstown, has won bronze in the 200-meter backstroke at the London Olympics.
Missy Franklin, a fellow American, set a new world record in winning the gold in 2:04.06. Beisel recorded a 2:06.55 and pulled into third place, passing Great Britain's Elizabeth Simmonds, over the final 50 meters. It was actually a bit slower than the personal-best time that Beisel recorded in Thursday's semifinal.
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Anastasia Zueva, of Russia, took the silver medal in 2:05.92.
"I'm so happy," Beisel told Journal correspondent Ed Klajman after the race. "In 2008, I came home with no medals and now I'm coming home with two. I couldn't be happier right now."
Beisel won the silver medal on Saturday in the 400-meter individual medley. She becomes the first Rhode Island-born athlete since Aileen Riggin, in 1924, to win two medals in the same Olympics.
"The amount of support I get from Rhode Island is insane," she said. "I can't thank them enough. They're like my second family so for them to be behind me this whole way has been really awesome."
GALLERY: R.I.'s Elizabeth Beisel wins bronze