Breakout Performer and Female Race of the Year honoree Lydia Jacoby (Seward, Alaska) is the only athlete to take home two individual awards for her gold medal-winning performance in the women’s 100m breaststroke in Tokyo. Swimming at her first international competition, 17-year-old Jacoby pulled off a major upset by winning the gold medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke over Lilly King, the defending Olympic champion. In making the Olympic team, Jacoby became the first swimmer from Alaska to ever qualify for a U.S. team. Jacoby was also integral on the 4x100m women’s medley relay, swimming a strong breaststroke leg in the final to help the U.S. secure the silver medal. “It was an April of this year was the first time I realized I had a good shot of making the Olympic Team,” Jacoby said. “I was in California for a TYR Pro meet and Jessica [Hardy] told me that she thought I could take gold in Tokyo and I was like ‘Pfff!’….I’d like to say a huge thank you to everybody on the Olympic team and all of the staff and coaches who helped me along the way after Trials. I think they contributed drastically to my confidence, and it was so motivating being with everyone in those weeks leading to the Olympics. I think we are all a big family.”