LONDON — There were races an the London Aquatics Center yesterday other than the anticipated Michael Phelps-Ryan Lochte showdown.
Elizabeth Beisel won her first Olympic medal, taking a silver in the women’s 400-meter individual medley, losing to China’s Shiwen Yi by 2.84 seconds.
“It’s every little kid’s dream to have an Olympic medal and to have it finally happen, it feels so great,’’ said Beisel, a Rhode Island native. “I’m definitely not going to be able to sleep tonight but I’m definitely happy.
“It’s definitely a lot better than what I felt four years ago. Back then, I was sort of like a deer in headlights. This year I’m more mature and more experienced and it feels really great to win the medal.’’
Four years ago in Beijing, Beisel finished fourth in the 400 IM and fifth in the 200 backstroke, failing to medal. She has since gone on to win gold in the 400 IM and 200 back in the World Championships, which made her the favorite going into yesterday’s race.
But Ye set the world record with her time of 4:28.43, taking just more than a second off the old mark of 4:29.45. Xuanxu Li of China won the bronze in 4:32.91.
Brooklyn’s 17-year-old Lia Neal took a bronze medal in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay with her entire family in the building to witness it. Neal swam third in the four-woman relay team that included Natalie Coughlin, Missy Franklin and Allison Schmitt.
“Even people that I don’t know have been cheering for me,’’ Neal said. “I feel blessed to have so much support.’’
For Coughlin, swimming in her third Olympics, it was her 12th career medal, tying her with Dara Torres and Jenny Thompson as the most decorated U.S. female Olympians ever.
In what was a mild upset, Peter Vanderkaay of Rochester, Mich., won the bronze medal in the men’s 400 meter freestyle. His time of 3:44.69 was 4.55 behind the gold-medal pace of China’s Yang Sun. Conor Dwyer from the U.S. finished fifth.
For Vanderkaay, who swam in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and is 28, yesterday was like a cherry on top of the sundae.
“I could have walked away from the sport after ’08 and be perfectly content with what I’ve done, but I wanted to give it one more push to see if I can improve and get back on the medal stand,’’ he said. “That feels like a good decision now.’’