Lydia Jacoby is a great example of what makes the Olympic Games so special.On Monday night, the 17-year old from Seward, Alaska won gold in 100m breaststroke. Jacoby was able to beat her American counterpart Lilly King by less than one second. She won Bronze. Only.27 seconds separated Jacoby from Tatjana Schoenmaker, Silver medalist from South Africa.AdvertisementJacoby's performance was enhanced by the response of her hometown, Seward. The support of her entire Alaskan community was apparent to Jacoby.Just look at the crazy people who saw Jacoby race.Jacoby stated that she was certain she was racing for a medal. This is according to USA Today. It was not what I expected so I was shocked when I saw the scoreboard.She has been training for years to achieve this moment, and she is now an Alaskan legend at 17. It's a moment she will cherish for the rest of her life.The Alaskan-born phenom is the 10th Summer Olympian and the first Olympic swimmer to be born there. She is also one of 11 teenage athletes on the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team. Ten teenagers on this squad are female.AdvertisementShe is also the first American woman who has won gold in Tokyo swimming.This is what makes Olympics so special. It is a testament to the hard work and determination of people from Alaska, such as Seward, who become legendary athletes.AdvertisementThis moment is made even more special by Jacoby's family's joy and the support of their small community.Jacobys will probably keep this gold medal, but the community will share it forever.
