Lydia Jacoby
As she settled into her stance on the starting block, University of Texas swimmer Lydia Jacoby of Seward clapped her hands like she knew something special was coming.
What followed was another extraordinary effort.
The Longhorns’ freshman on Friday popped a blistering time of 57.29 seconds in the 100-yard breaststroke to collect her first Big 12 Conference title and break her own American 17-18 age-group record for the third time this season.
Jacoby finished three-tenths ahead of teammate Anna Elendt (57.59) with a time that ranks No. 3 in the country this season and No. 2 in Texas school history.
Jacoby and Elendt have gone back and forth all season, but the Alaskan looked sharp in posting a wire-to-wire victory at the Big 12 Championships in Austin, Texas. They were the only two in the race to crack the 1-minute mark.
BIG 12 CHAMPION!
Lydia Jacoby wins the 100 breast with a new conference and meet record of 57.29! 👑🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/rz3rHHCzLx
— Texas Women's Swimming & Diving (@TexasWSD) February 25, 2023
Jacoby, who turns 19 next week, used a sensational second-half effort to hold off Elendt and shave 0.16 seconds off her previous national age-group record of 57.45 set in January.
It’s easy to assume that just because Jacoby won an Olympic gold medal 18 months ago in the 100 breaststroke that she should dominate the college ranks.
But Elendt was also an Olympian in 2021 and is a six-time NCAA All-American.
Elendt also still owns the overall Big 12 record of 56.88 – four-tenths ahead of Jacoby’s time Friday.