Jacoby largely flew under the radar ahead of Tuesday’s 100-meter breaststroke match, so her victory was a huge upset. She didn’t just shock the other countries in the competition, but also her own American teammate, Lilly King, who was aiming for her second Olympic gold medal in the race this year. Jacoby was visibly shocked at her victory once the race concluded and was quick to hug King and South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker, who came in third and second place, respectively. King gushed of Jacoby’s victory, “We love to keep that gold in the USA family. This kid just had the swim of her life and I am so proud to be her teammate.” “I was definitely racing for a medal. I knew I had it in me,” Jacoby told the Associated Press. “I wasn’t really expecting a gold medal, so when I looked up and saw the scoreboard it was insane.” In fact, she told the Anchorage Daily Newsshe wasn’t as nervous as you’d expect for her big race. “Honestly, I guess technically [the Olympics are] bigger than the Trials," she said, “but the Trials was a lot scarier! To be honest, this is a lot more comfortable.” Get to know the prodigy of the pool and see just a few reasons why she’s so remarkable.
Who is Lydia Jacoby?
Born on Leap Day, Jacoby is a 17-year-old Olympic swimmer, but her talents are limited to her skills in the water. The strawberry blond is also a rock star in music, singing and playing double bass for the Snow River String Band. Check her outperforming at the Anchorage Folk Festival (barefoot, of course): Jacoby can also play piano and guitar, has a column for her school newspaper and occasionally acts in plays.
Where in Alaska is Lydia Jacoby from?
Jacoby hails from Seward, Alaska; with a population of under 2,800, and was born in Anchorage. “A lot of big-name swimmers come from big, powerhouse clubs,” Jacoby told the Associated Press. “Me coming from a small club, in a state with such a small population, really shows everyone that you can do it no matter where you’re from.” Check out her hometown pals cheering her own from Seward, as well as her parents watching her at a party in Orlando, Fla.:
When did Lydia Jacoby start swimming?
Jacoby began swimming at just six years old, meaning she’s been hitting the pool for two-thirds of her young life! She broke her first Alaska state record for swimming when she was just 12. A mere two years later, she first qualified for U.S. Olympic Trials, making her one of only 12 Alaskans to ever do so. From 2018 through now, Jacoby consistently broke her own speed records, as well as those of other swimmers, leading up to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She is now the only Alaskan swimmer to ever win an Olympic medal, let alone a gold one.
Where is the Olympic size pool in Alaska?
Jacoby’s town doesn’t have an Olympic size pool (the standard is 50 meters), so she typically trained in a 25-meter pool. Anchorage houses the only Olympic-sized pool in the state. The pool in Seward was closed during the COVID-19 crisis, so she rented an apartment in Anchorage with her mother to train in the city’s 50-meter pool. In March 2020, Jacoby admitted she was relieved that the Olympics were postponed for a year because of the pandemic, explaining, “I feel like I’m in a good place now, because when they closed the pool I was really concerned about the Olympics and the trials—it’s not a fair environment because not everybody’s pools are closed.”
Is Lydia Jacoby still in high school?
Lydia Jacoby is still in high school! She attended Seward High School in Seward, Alaska, where she grew up, though she chose to be homeschooled during the COVID-19 pandemic. She plans on going back to Seward High School for her senior year in fall 2021 and is scheduled to graduate in spring 2022.
Is Lydia Jacoby going to college?
Jacoby plans on attending the University of Texas at Austin in fall 2022. She will swim for the school and has said she may study fashion design. Next, test your Olympics knowledge with these 125 trivia questions and answers!
