A banner supporting Olympic swimmer Lydia Jacoby hangs outside of First National Bank Alaska in her hometown of Seward on Saturday, July 24, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

A banner supporting Olympic swimmer Lydia Jacoby hangs outside of First National Bank Alaska in her hometown of Seward on Saturday, July 24, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Tangled Up In Blue: Go Lydia!

All of Seward was watching with tempered excitement the night of her gold medal swim.

By Kat Sorensen

For the Peninsula Clarion

I had a silly thought yesterday while I was doing a track workout at Seward High School.

“If I keep this up, maybe I’ll get Olympic-level fast.”

I was exhausted after just one or two sprints, definitely should have warmed up more, and had to stop to google “how many track laps makes a mile,” but as I was cooling down I caught myself being unrealistically optimistic.

No, I don’t actually think my early 30s is when I’m going to start making strides in track and field, fast tracking to the 2024 Olympics. I can’t help but daydream, though. There’s something in the air.

Seward is riddled with signs, posters and more celebrating the Queen in the North, Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby. The 17-year-old swimmer from Seward and of the Seward Tsunami Swim Club shattered expectations when she pushed hard and won the gold medal in the breaststroke in the Tokyo Olympics.

All of Seward was watching with tempered excitement the night of her gold medal swim. When she touched the wall ahead of all the other competitors, our small city erupted! And the celebration has been going since. It’s hard not to get wrapped up in Olympic fever, her win means so much.

As Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post wrote in his column on Lydia:

“There are moments at an Olympics that change a life. There are moments at an Olympics that redefine a town. And there are moments at an Olympics that make you say: ‘That’s why I watch. That’s why I came. That’s what it’s about.’ Lydia Jacoby, daughter of Seward, Alaska, provided just that Tuesday morning, the swim of her life, which means a lot, even if her life has lasted just more than 17 years. Lilly King is the queen of the 100-meter breaststroke, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder. And Jacoby — more accustomed to performing in front of audiences at bluegrass festivals around Alaska than as an athlete on international television — simply stalked her, caught her, passed her and beat her.”

We don’t have an Olympic-sized pool in town, and there aren’t top-of-the-line training facilities. She just had access to a lot of supportive people, the drive, the determination and the skill.

On a good day, I have one or two of those things. But, now alongside Seward, Alaska, and the entire United States, I have a little bit of extra inspiration to push a little bit extra harder thanks to Lydia.

More in Sports

Homer's Paul Minke wrestles to a pin of Soldotna's Harold Rudstrom on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna wrestling celebrates senior night with dual victories

The Soldotna wrestling team hosted Kenai Central, Homer and Ninilchik for senior… Continue reading

Soldotna celebrates a goal by Daniel Heath on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jonas Oyoumick/Peninsula Clarion)
Friday, Saturday hockey: Kenai sweeps Kodiak; Chugiak sweeps Soldotna

The Division II Soldotna hockey team dropped a pair of nonconference games… Continue reading

Nikiski celebrates winning the championship Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in the Class 3A state volleyball final at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski volleyball denies Kenai a state 3-peat

The Nikiski volleyball team defeated Kenai Central in the championship match, then… Continue reading

tease
Soldotna girls, boys both finish 3rd at Lancer Smith

Both the Soldotna girls and Soldotna boys wrestling teams led the Kenai… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Owen Zenone makes a save on Luc Plante of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Brown Bears get 1 point out of 2-game set with Ice Dogs

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs defeated the Kenai River Brown Bears 5-2 on… Continue reading

The Kenai Central hockey team mobs Logan Mese after Mese scored the game-winner in overtime against Chugiak on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai hockey stops Chugiak in overtime

The Kenai Central hockey team defeated Chugiak 4-3 in overtime in nonconference… Continue reading

Soldotna junior Sarah Brown sets the ball during a 3-1 loss to Dimond on the first day of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Volleyball Championships on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Bruce Eggleston/matsusports.net)
Thursday: Kenai volleyball cruises to state semis

On a first day of a state volleyball tournament at the Alaska… Continue reading

Kenai’s Abigail Price hugs Taryn Fleming from Sitka during the state swimming and diving championships Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Kyle Wilkinson/For the Frontiersman)
Kenai’s Abigail Price lowers a pair of school records at state

Kenai Central junior Abigail Price led the Kenai Peninsula at the state… Continue reading

Most Read