- Team USA swimmer Lydia Jacoby took gold at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday.
- Dominating the 100-meter breaststroke, the Alaskan swimmer wore a pair of pink goggles.
- Former
Olympic swimmer Jessica Hardy revealed that she gave Jacoby the goggles five years ago.
Team USA swimmer Lydia Jacoby won gold at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday while competing in a pair of pink goggles given to her by a former Olympian five years ago.
The 17-year-old Alaskan took the lead in the final seconds of the 100-meter breaststroke, beating odds to win against two other swimmers, Lilly King, also representing the United States, and South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker. The other swimmers won bronze and silver, respectively.
Pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the Tokyo Games so far, Jacoby swam the race in a pair of pink goggles given to her by Jessica Hardy, 34, who won a bronze and a gold medal while
Tweeting out her support for Jacoby before the race on Monday, Hardy revealed she met the young swimmer at her "home pool in Alaska" five years ago and gave her the goggles she's been competing in since.
-Jessica Hardy Meichtry (@swimhardy) July 26, 2021
Removing her pink goggles moments after her first-ever Olympic final, Jacoby looked to be in a state of shock after the scoreboard showed she'd secured first place.
Jacoby is the first Alaskan swimmer to win gold at the Olympics and, as NBC commentators reported during the race, usually trains in a pool half the size of the Olympic standard of 50 meters. According to E! News, the young swimmer from the small city of Seward, Alaska, gave her thanks to those who supported her in a post-race interview.
"Thank you for all the support and everything over these years," Jacoby said. "It's been amazing."