Lydia Jacoby is a competitive swimmer who represents the United States internationally. She is a 2020 Olympic champion and 2023 NCAA Champion in the 100 breast.
Early Swimming
Lydia was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and raised in Seward, Alaska, where she started competing for the Seward Tsunami Swim Club at the age of 6. Jacoby achieved her first Alaska state title at the age of 12 and her first Olympic Trials cut at 14.
At the 2019 Jr National Championships, Jacoby won the 100 breast, marking her first Jr National title as well as qualifying her for the USA Jr National team.
Jacoby was ranked as #8 in SwimSwam’s Top 20 NCAA recruit ranks for the Class of 2022. On December 1, 2020, Jacoby committed to the University of Texas.
2021 Mission Viejo Pro Swim
In April, 2021, at the Mission Viejo Pro Swim, Jacoby put the swimming community on notice. Registering a 1:06.38 best time in the 100 breast, Jacoby took 2nd in the event behind world record holder Lilly King, notably topping King’s training partner Annie Lazor. That weekend, she also hit a 2:27.39 PB in the. 200 breast and a 2:29.38 PB in the 200 IM.
After the Pro Swim, Jacoby spoke with SwimSwam about growing up swimming in Alaska and her prep heading into the 2021 Olympic Trials on an episode of the SwimSwam Podcast, which you can watch here.
2021 Olympic Trials
Jacoby Made the final of the 100 breast in Omaha, recording a lifetime best of 1:05.71 in the semi-finals. In the final, Jacoby dropped even more time, touching 2nd at 1:05.28 to make her first Olympic team at age 17.
After making the Olympic team, Jacoby came back on the SwimSwam Podcast to discuss her experience at Trials and what USA Olympic Training camp was like. You can watch that episode here.
2020 Olympic Games
Jacoby started her first Olympic Games with a win. After moving through the prelims and semis, Jacoby did what she does best, using her 2nd 50 to move past Lilly King and Tatjana Schoenmaker to touch first and win Olympic gold.
Jacoby continued her meet in the finals of the mixed 400 medley relay, swimming a 1:05.09 on the breast leg even though her goggles fell off. The relay went on to place 5th.
Jacoby finished her meet in the 400 medley relay, splitting 1:05.03 to help Team USA finish 2nd, earning silver medal.
2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
As was to be expected, King led the prelims of the 50 breast with a 30.26 while Jacoby was 2md with a 30.42. In the finals, the touted Jacoby-King battle lived up to the hype as they battled down the stretch with King edging Jacoby by just .04. Jacoby’s 29.81 is her personal best and her first time under 30 seconds. The swim doesn’t secure Jacoby a spot in Fukuoka as she now looks to the 100 breast to secure Qualification
In the 100 breast prelims, King and Jacoby faced a major challenger in the form of Kaitlyn Dobler who took the top seed with a best 1:05.86 to King’s 1:05.95. Jacoby sat back at 3rd with a 1:06.69. In finals, Jacoby was 2nd at the 50, just ahead of kin and behind a fast 50 from Dobler. King was able to pass both Jacoby and Dobler but Jacoby passed Dobler for 2nd in 1:05.16.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
Jacoby had a near miss in prelims as she went 1:06.71 for 14th. It was a similar story in semis where she was 7th in 1:06.29, just .03 faster than 9th. It was clear this swim was Jacoby toying with strategy as she went out 31.99 and came home 34.30, the slowest and fastest splits in semis respectively. In the final Jacoby was out strong in 30.71. As the field shifted around, Jacoby maintained her 3rd position and touched in 1:05.94 for 3rd, 1.32 seconds back from Ruta Meilutyte’s gold.
In the 50 breast, Jacoby was 30.44 in prelims but missed the final with a 30.40 in semis for 9th. In the heat of the 400 medley, Jacoby put up a sluggish 1:07.73 split but the US qualified 2nd and took gold in the final with Lilly King on breast.
College (Texas)
2022-2023
Jacoby made great strides during her freshman season in Austin. At her first Big 12 Championships, she won the 100 (57.29) and 200 breast (2:04.32), going personal bests (and breaking the 17-18 NAG) in both.
At her first NCAA Championships, Jacoby once again stepped up when the lights were brightest. In the 100 breast final, she surged o the final 50, splitting a field best 30.10 to get her hand on the wall first at 57.03, marking her first NCAA title. She also placed 11th in the 200 breast (2:06.66) and split 56.78 on Texas’ 3rd place 400 medley relay.
