Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby has returned to training, according to The Daily Texan last month. Jacoby represented the U.S. at the 2020(1) Tokyo Olympics but missed making the team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I didn’t feel like I was done swimming when I stepped away from it, so I’m just excited,” Jacoby said to The Daily Texan. They also reported that she is training “a few times a week.”
“I was swimming for just because everybody expected me to. … I was going to practice. I was going through all the motions,” Jacoby said. “I didn’t want it for me anymore. I wanted it because that was what I was supposed to want.”
Jacoby last competed at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials where she was 3rd in the 100 breaststroke in a 1:06.37. She missed making the Olympics by just 0.27 seconds as Emma Weber touched 2nd in a 1:06.10. Lilly King, who retired last summer, touched 1st at Trials in a 1:05.43.
“I think my first moment was like, touching the wall, seeing the third and just being like, ‘I know every single camera is pointed to me right now,’” Jacoby said on her 3rd place finish at 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
She spent spring 2025 abroad in Madrid, Spain as a student at Texas. In May 2025, she announced she would not compete at U.S. Summer Nationals. At the time, she also said she still had hopes to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Jacoby arrived at Texas in fall 2022, just over a year after winning gold in the individual women’s 100 breaststroke at the 2020(1) Tokyo Olympics in a lifetime best 1:04.95. She represented Texas for her freshman (2022-2023) and sophomore (2023-2024) seasons but announced in September 2024 that she would forego her remaining NCAA eligibility and turn pro.
I’d like to see Athing Mu do the same thing. Both won gold as teenagers in 2021 then failed to make the team in 2024.
Women’s 800 in track has changed a lot internationally in recent years but it’s hardly a daunting task to make the American team
heck yeah, good for her.
it’s not like the event has taken off or anything yet, even just getting back to where she was gives her a chance
I doubt it.
I don’t know. There’s not a lot of forward looking positivity quotes provided. Her comment struck a chord with me, because I often wonder myself if my swimmers and my own children are in this because they want it or because we signed them up and they’re expected to do it. The paradox is, at younger ages, if you don’t do it you will not reach your potential, but if they think you’re making them do it they may not be getting the best experience mentally/emotionally. Coaching and parenting is not easy folks.
did you consider asking them
I’m not sure thats necessary Steve. I think it’s a tough thing you kind of wonder. I’m not saying anyone is right or wrong. Her comment could be perceived as a slap in the face to the parents and coaches that pushed her. A philosophical opine. What is actually best?
so if down the line, your kids said, “I wasn’t doing this for me” you’d feel like you were being slapped
Sometimes your children or swimmers will give you the answer that they think you want to hear. Asking doesn’t always get the real response.
Almost every high school and college swimmer I ever met was doing it off of the momentum of either a long-gone passion or being forced to do it by parents when they were younger.These people don’t want to do anything in swimming, even meets, but they either too unsure or too scared to admit they don’t wanna do it any more. idk, to me that comment sounds like an extremely typical mentality about swimming.The fact she willingly returned to training after such a long break makes me think she found a genuine passion again, so it sounds positive to me
I’m m sure this will all work out for her…
So who exactly is she training under? Carol?
unless she has some Van Mathias magic…
Hmmmm – Good luck