The 2021 Golden Goggles Awards were presented at the annual USA Swimming gala in Miami, Florida; USA Swimming honoring the top American swimmers, coaches, and performances of the year.
Lydia Jacoby, senior at Seward High School and Tokyo Olympic champion, was named the USA Swimming Golden Goggles Award winner in two categories: Breakout Performer of the Year and Female Race of the Year (100 Breaststroke at Tokyo Olympics).
Jacoby, Alaska’s first swimming Olympic champion, was recognized for her outstanding performances along with numerous other USA Swimming athletes.
USA Swimming 2021 Golden Goggles Awards
Lydia Jacoby: Breakout Swimmer of the Year & Female Race of the Year.
Annie Lazor: Perseverance Award
Katie Ledecky: Female Athlete of the Year
Caeleb Dressel: Male Athlete of the Year
Bobby Finke: Male Race of the Year
Gregg Troy: Coach of the Year
Bob Vincent & Cecil Gordon: Impact Award
Press release from swimswam.com
Breakout Swimmer of the Year
Alaskan teenager Lydia Jacoby had anything but a typical summer break, heading to Omaha for the U.S. Olympic Trials, where she landed a surprise spot on the American roster after finishing 2nd in the women’s 100 breast, behind Lilly King. Jacoby became Alaska’s first Olympic swimmer, heading to Tokyo with Team USA just weeks before starting her senior year of high school.
The 17-year-old cruised through prelims in Tokyo, finishing 2nd in 1:05.52, behind only South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, who broke the Olympic Record in 1:04.82, Jacoby was then able to match her speed in semifinals, swimming a 1:05.72 to take the 3rd seed for finals. As the swimmers walked out for the final, it appeared that World Record holder and defending Olympic Champion Lilly King was primed for Gold, the resurgent Schoenmaker was likely for Silver, and Jacoby may be able to hold on for the Bronze medal with a good swim. Jacoby had other plans, however, throwing down a massively impressive 34.21 on the 2nd 50 to edge out ahead in the final 20 meters. She touched first in 1:04.95, grabbing one of the most unexpected Gold medals of the Games.
Thanks to her individual performance, Jacoby was tabbed for spots on the mixed 4×100 medley relay and the women’s 4×100 medley relay. The mixed relay ultimately finished 5th, well off the podium, but the Americans were able to secure a Silver medal in the women’s medley relay, thanks in part to Jacoby’s field-leading 1:05.03 breaststroke split.
Female Race of the Year
Lydia Jacoby won her 2nd award of the night, earning Female Race of the Year for her 100 breast in Tokyo. There’s not a whole lot to say here, since we already went over the race in her Breakout Performer of the Year excerpt. Jacoby was up against Katie Ledecky‘s 800 free and 1500 free in this category. Ledecky won her 3rd 800 free Gold, and won the first-ever women’s 1500 at the Olympics, so there was some merit there. However, Jacoby took down the World Record holder and defending Olympic Champion, as well as the newly-minted Olympic Record holder to win her gold medal, all at just 17 years of age, so Jacoby earned this award without a doubt.
