Seward swimmer Lydia Jacoby, the 17-year-old who earned a gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, will swim in the mixed 400 medley relay for Team USA at 6:43 p.m. local time on Friday evening.
According to swimswam.com, the four chosen by USA swimming coaches to compete in the relay are Jacoby, Ryan Murphy, Torri Huske and Caeleb Dressel, who all finished in the top four of their individual events at the Olympic games.
Jacoby and Team USA will race against Russia, Italy, China, Great Britain, Australia, the Netherlands and Israel.
One of Jacoby’s coaches, Meghan O’Leary, said around 5:30 p.m. that she’s already in front of her TV prepped to watch the race.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said. “It’s going to be a good one.”
The Seward watch party will be in full swing tonight at the Dale R. Lindsey Railroad terminal.
“I think the watch party will grow in size,” O’Leary said.
This is the first Olympics to have a mixed medley race, which O’Leary said makes the competition more strategic.
“It’s super exciting,” she said. “This is kind of history in the making as well, and she’s on the team.”
Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@peninsulaclarion.com.
