Kelley Becherer

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Kelley Becherer
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1990-07-03) July 3, 1990 (age 34)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Home town Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Sport
Sport Swimming
StrokesFreestyle, Breaststroke
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2008 Beijing 50 m freestyle S13
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2012 London 50 m freestyle S13
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2012 London 100 m freestyle S13
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2008 Beijing 100 m freestyle S13
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2008 Beijing 400 m freestyle S13
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2012 London 200 m individual medley SM13
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2012 London 100 m breaststroke SB13
IPC World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 Eindhoven 50m freestyle S13
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 Eindhoven 100m freestyle S13
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 Eindhoven 100m backstroke S13
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 Eindhoven 200m medley SM13
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Eindhoven 400m freestyle S13
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 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.

Contents

Early life and education

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

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

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

References

  1. ↑ "IPC bio". Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 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. 1 2 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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