Updated Jul 26, 2021 - Sports

Teen swimmer Lydia Jacoby wins 1st U.S. women's Olympic gold in Tokyo

Rebecca Falconer

Lydia Jacoby from the USA cheers Swimming: Olympics, women, 100m breaststroke, final at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Lydia Jacoby from the USA cheers. — Lydia Jacoby of Team USA wins gold in the women's 100-meter breaststroke at the Tokyo Games. Photo: Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images

Team USA's 17-year-old swimmer Lydia Jacoby has won the Olympic gold medal in the women's 100-meter breaststroke at the Tokyo Games, completing the race with a time of 1:04.95.

Of note: The Alaskan beat defending Olympic champion and fellow American Lilly King, who won bronze. Tatjana Shoenmaker from South Africa took home the silver medal.

Jacoby is the first of the U.S. women's team to win an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

What they're saying: Jacoby said after the race that she was "definitely racing for a medal," but wasn't expecting to win gold. "So when I looked up at the scoreboard it was insane," she added.

King told reporters she was "surprisingly OK" following the result. "So excited for Lydia," she said. "I love to see the future coming up like this."

Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of the winning time, the full medalists' positions and comment from Jacoby and King.

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Teen swimmer Lydia Jacoby wins 1st U.S. women's Olympic gold in Tokyo

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