Lydia Jacoby left Tokyo this weekend with another Olympic medal. The 17-year-old Seward swimmer won silver for her role in the women’s 400-meter medley relay Saturday, where she swam the second leg of the race and logged a time of 1 minute, 5.03 seconds.
It’s Jacoby’s second medal of the Olympics. She won gold for her surprise victory in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke last week, earning Alaska its very first Olympic swimming medal.
Jacoby also raced in the 400-meter mixed medley relay Friday night. The U.S. team came in fifth place and Jacoby swam her entire leg with goggles down around her mouth after they fell off her eyes when she jumped in the pool. She still made a time of 1 minute, 5.09 seconds.
The teen swimming phenom is scheduled to arrive back in Seward on Monday, where her dad, Rich Jacoby, said she’s excited to sleep in her own bed and eat a home-cooked meal.
Then it’s back to 12th grade and another year of Seward High School swimming. The team’s season starts this Wednesday.
“She’ll probably take a week or two off, whatever she feels is good,” said Solomon D’Amico, head coach for the Seward High swim team. “When she’s ready, she can come join us and we’ll get her back to the grind.”
Seward residents are also planning a parade for Jacoby. But first, they want to give her time to decompress at home with her family, said Seward Tsunami Swim Club parent Sarah Spanos. She said they haven’t yet decided on a date for a celebration.
