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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Rachel Kristine Bootsma | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team |  United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1993-12-15)December 15, 1993 (age 32) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 146 lb (66 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Cole Reiser | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Backstroke | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | University of California, Berkeley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Rachel Kristine Bootsma (born December 15, 1993) is an American competitionswimmer who specializes in thebackstroke, and is an Olympic gold medalist. Bootsma earned a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the 4×100-meter medley relay at the2012 Summer Olympics, and also competed in the100-meter backstroke.
At the 2010 National Championships, the selection meet for both the2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and the2011 World Aquatics Championships, Bootsma placed third in the 100-meter backstroke.[1] At the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Bootsma earned a bronze medal in the 50-meter backstroke, tying withEmily Thomas ofNew Zealand andFabiola Molina ofBrazil.[2]
On November 20, 2010, Bootsma set the national high school record in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 51.53, betteringCindy Tran's record of 51.85 (Bootsma's record has been since bettered).[3] On October 16, 2011 at thePan American Games, she broke the games' record in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:00.37. Bootsma, known for her front speed, clocked a 29.56 on the way out before closing out the win with a 30.81 final 50 meters. The previous record was held byElizabeth Pelton.
Bootsma graduated fromEden Prairie High School inEden Prairie, Minnesota in 2012. She currently attends theUniversity of California, Berkeley, where she swims forTeri McKeever'sCalifornia Golden Bears women's swimming team. In 2013 and 2015, she was NCAA national champion in the 100-yard backstroke.
At the2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, the U.S. qualifying meet for the Olympics, Bootsma earned a place on the U.S. Olympic team for the first time by finishing second behindMissy Franklin in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 59.49. In the heats and semi-finals, Bootsma posted times of 59.69 and 59.10, placing behind Franklin both times. In placing second, she defeated her childhood idol,Natalie Coughlin, who finished third.
At the2012 Summer Olympics in London, Bootsma posted a time of 1.00.03 in the heats for the100-meter backstroke, finishing in eleventh place overall and qualifying for a place in the semifinals. She then finished in sixth place of semi-final 2 with a time of 1.00.04, failing to gain a place in the final. Bootsma earned a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the4×100-meter medley relay. She swam the backstroke leg in the preliminary races, helping the U.S. team win a spot in the final.[4]
| Event | Time | Date | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m backstroke (long course) | 27.68 | June 27, 2013 | NR |
| 100 m backstroke (long course) | 59.10 | June 26, 2012 | |
| 200 m backstroke (long course) | 2:18.08 | August 2009 |
