ALASKAN GOLD
SEWARDIAN LYDIA JACOBY WINS ALASKA’S FIRST SWIMMING GOLD MEDAL
17-YEAR-OLD LYDIA JACOBY OF SEWARD BECAME ALASKAS FIRST SWIMMING OLYMPIAN IN JUNE OF 2021. SHE SHOCKED THE SWIMMING WORLD THE FOLLOWING MONTH AT THE TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES, DEFEATING THE CURRENT WORLD RECORD HOLDER, REIGNING OLYMPIC CHAMPION AND UNITED STATES TEAMMATE LILY KING IN THE 100 METER BREASTSTROKE, BECOMING THE SPORT’S NEWEST SUPERSTAR.
BELOW IS FREELANCE WORK FOR THE SEWARD JOURNAL COVERING THE LIVE WATCH PARTY AND CELEBRATORY PARADE IN SEWARD, ALASKA.
Teammates in Seward, Alaska scream in celebration after Lydia Jacoby wins gold in the 100 meter breaststroke at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Local tour guides get creative with their congrats towards the Olympian.
The Tsunami Swim Club jumps for joy as they realize their teammate Lydia Jacoby won Olympic Gold.
The Jacoby Family smiles as they take in the local love.
Mothers react in disbelief as Jacoby wins Alaska's first swimming gold medal.
Youths display signs congratulating Lydia at the end of the parade.
Two of Jacoby's teammates stand in awe after the gold medal swim.
Lydia Jacoby laughs with fans screaming their congrats as she parades through the streets of Seward.
A young adult from Seward cant help but get teary-eyed watching the historic moment.
Jacoby drives through the streets of downtown Seward with Bear Mountain in the background.
Current and previous coaches of Lydia Jacoby pause for a picture after watching their athlete win Olympic gold.
Alaskan Governor Mike Dunleavy shakes the hand of Jacoby as she receives local accolades in addition to Olympic gold.
Local youths sign a poster for Lydia upon return from Japan.
Solomon D'Amico, who coaches Lydia at the Tsunami Swim Club in Seward, acknowledges fans at the start of the parade.
The Seward Cruise Ship Terminal is packed for a livestream of the 100 meter breaststroke event across the ocean in Tokyo, Japan.
A young toddler gets hyped while waiting for the start of the race.
A mother waits for the start of the parade.
Lydia's coach, Solomon D'Amico prior to the race as he wraps up his prep cook shift at The Bean Cafe in Seward, AK.
Resurrection Peaks loom over a crowd on the banks of Resurrection Bay as they listen to Jacoby answer questions from a boat in the harbor.
An elderly supporter stands underneath the infamous Mount Marathon of Seward prior to the competition.
Hundreds of Sewardians stop work and pack the streets of Seward, Alaska to honor their Olympian.
Olympic Gold for Seward's own Lydia Jacoby.