Alaska, of all places, has an Olympic champion at the pool.Seventeen-year-old Lydia Jacoby gave the United States a victory in the women's 100-meter breaststroke, knocking off teammate and defending champion Lilly King on Tuesday.Jacoby was the first swimmer from the Arctic state ever to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team.Now, she's heading back to giddy Anchorage with a gold medal, rallying to win in 1 minute, 4.95 seconds..South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker claimed the silver in 1:05.22, while King gave the Americans another medal by taking the bronze in 1:05.54.Jacoby's stunning win salvaged what had been a disappointing morning for the American team. The U.S. had only managed a pair of bronze medals before the high schooler came through.Jacoby was only third at the turn, trailing Schoenmaker and King. But, with her head bobbing furiously out of the water, the teenager surged past King and glided past the South African on the final two strokes to touch first.Looking at the scoreboard with a bit of disbelief, the enormity of her accomplishment finally hit when Schoenmaker reached across the lane rope for a hug. Then it was King bounding over from two lanes away to congratulate America's new breaststroke queen.On the men's side, the U.S. team lost a backstroke race at the Olympics for the first time since 1992.Russia swept the top two spots in the 100-meter back Tuesday, with Evgeny Rylov claiming the gold medal in 51.98 and teammate Kliment Kolesnikov taking the silver in 52.00. Defending Olympic champion Ryan Murphy settled for the bronze in 52.19.It was the first backstroke defeat for the U.S. men at the Olympics since the Barcelona Games. They won 12 straight golds at the last six Olympics, including Murphy's sweep of the 100 and 200 back at the 2016 Rio Olympics.It was a good morning for Australia and Britain.World record-holder Kaylee McKeown gave the Aussie women another gold medal with a victory in the women's 100 backstroke, setting an Olympic record.Her winning time of 57.47 was just off the world mark she set this year of 57.45. The silver went to Canada's Kylie Masse in 57.72, while former world record-holder Regan Smith of the United States grabbed the bronze at 58.05.Coming into the Olympics, Australia had not won an individual women's title since 2008. Now they have two, with McKeown's gold coming after Ariarne Titmus' victory Monday in the 400 freestyle.Britain went 1-2 in the men's 200 freestyle. Tom Dean captured the gold in 1 minute, 44.22 seconds, while teammate Duncan Scott picked up the silver in 1:44.26. The bronze went to Brazil's Fernando Scheffer at 1:44.66.American Kieran Smith settled for a sixth-place showing after capturing a bronze in the 400 free.Defending 200 free champion Sun Yang was banned from the Tokyo Olympics for a doping violation. He is serving a more than four-year ban, though he could be eligible to return for the 2024 Paris Games.Titmus and Katie Ledecky both advanced to Wednesday's final of the 200-meter freestyle, setting up another showdown after their thrilling race in the 400 free.Titmus was the top qualifier in the 200 semis at 1:54.82, while Ledecky -- the defending Olympic champion -- cruised to the third-best time in 1:55.34. The Aussie Terminator will be looking for her second straight gold after rallying to beat Ledecky in the 400 free.

Alaska, of all places, has an Olympic champion at the pool.

Seventeen-year-old Lydia Jacoby gave the United States a victory in the women's 100-meter breaststroke, knocking off teammate and defending champion Lilly King on Tuesday.

Jacoby was the first swimmer from the Arctic state ever to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team.

Now, she's heading back to giddy Anchorage with a gold medal, rallying to win in 1 minute, 4.95 seconds..

South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker claimed the silver in 1:05.22, while King gave the Americans another medal by taking the bronze in 1:05.54.

Jacoby's stunning win salvaged what had been a disappointing morning for the American team. The U.S. had only managed a pair of bronze medals before the high schooler came through.

Jacoby was only third at the turn, trailing Schoenmaker and King. But, with her head bobbing furiously out of the water, the teenager surged past King and glided past the South African on the final two strokes to touch first.

Looking at the scoreboard with a bit of disbelief, the enormity of her accomplishment finally hit when Schoenmaker reached across the lane rope for a hug. Then it was King bounding over from two lanes away to congratulate America's new breaststroke queen.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

On the men's side, the U.S. team lost a backstroke race at the Olympics for the first time since 1992.

Russia swept the top two spots in the 100-meter back Tuesday, with Evgeny Rylov claiming the gold medal in 51.98 and teammate Kliment Kolesnikov taking the silver in 52.00.

Defending Olympic champion Ryan Murphy settled for the bronze in 52.19.

It was the first backstroke defeat for the U.S. men at the Olympics since the Barcelona Games. They won 12 straight golds at the last six Olympics, including Murphy's sweep of the 100 and 200 back at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

It was a good morning for Australia and Britain.

World record-holder Kaylee McKeown gave the Aussie women another gold medal with a victory in the women's 100 backstroke, setting an Olympic record.

Her winning time of 57.47 was just off the world mark she set this year of 57.45. The silver went to Canada's Kylie Masse in 57.72, while former world record-holder Regan Smith of the United States grabbed the bronze at 58.05.

Coming into the Olympics, Australia had not won an individual women's title since 2008. Now they have two, with McKeown's gold coming after Ariarne Titmus' victory Monday in the 400 freestyle.

Britain went 1-2 in the men's 200 freestyle. Tom Dean captured the gold in 1 minute, 44.22 seconds, while teammate Duncan Scott picked up the silver in 1:44.26. The bronze went to Brazil's Fernando Scheffer at 1:44.66.

American Kieran Smith settled for a sixth-place showing after capturing a bronze in the 400 free.

Defending 200 free champion Sun Yang was banned from the Tokyo Olympics for a doping violation. He is serving a more than four-year ban, though he could be eligible to return for the 2024 Paris Games.

Titmus and Katie Ledecky both advanced to Wednesday's final of the 200-meter freestyle, setting up another showdown after their thrilling race in the 400 free.

Titmus was the top qualifier in the 200 semis at 1:54.82, while Ledecky -- the defending Olympic champion -- cruised to the third-best time in 1:55.34. The Aussie Terminator will be looking for her second straight gold after rallying to beat Ledecky in the 400 free.

February 2020, Ellie career was on top of the track world. The Millrose mile when I broke the American record was a huge stepping stone in my career, a turning point in my career. And then after that the whole world just kind of stopped right before the Tokyo Olympics were postponed, prayer seemed to be on the path. All olympic hopefuls aspire to to peak heading into the trials. However, one record was no peak. Honestly, I feel like it's almost better, like I feel like a much stronger athlete now, I've got another whole year of training and mileage under my belt in the extra time per year and the two mile indoor american record to her resume as well as the world's best 1500 m time this season. However, the achilles here in the United States are not what she's locked in on meddling in the olympics would be the ultimate goal. I really think that I can do it if it's the right day and you know, the right race growing up on a dairy farm, A young carrier didn't always talk about olympic medals. I feel like as a young kid, I didn't ever think that I would be a runner or especially at this level. So, um you know, it's kind of funny to, to think back to that, and honestly I'm still getting used to this. Ellie the confidence, you know, has become, you know, over a long period of time per year, credits her newfound confidence to physical and mental toughness, as well as staying in her own lane. I've had a different path to get where I am as compared to all the people that I'm competing against and so, you know, me not comparing myself to them has been a huge part of my success. She's confident, yet grounded with hopes to truly experience her olympic moment. I think it would be the ultimate goal to represent my country and um, you know, I hope I can just really enjoy those moments if I make it there. Um, you know, just really, really be there on the road of the Tokyo olympics on Marshall Krimsky.

well the cellar summer olympics are 100 days away and the Games are returning to Tokyo for the first time since 1964. NBC fires marshall Krimsky joining us live with a story about a Vermont man who is no stranger to swimming to the top of the olympic podium. Marshall. The last time the olympic games were in Tokyo, where in 1964 Shelburne resident Jed Graf won the gold medal for the 200 m backstroke despite the Games taking place 57 years ago. Graff remembers every moment and movement from his strokes. In Tokyo, I had probably my best start. I mean I was gone with the gun. That was pretty much the race right there. On just the third day of the 1964 summer olympics in Tokyo. American swimmer. Jed graph made history easily. It was actually harder to make the team than to make the finals in Tokyo just because we were so dominant, proven by a final touch of the pad and a look up at the leaderboard. I saw next to my name that said A one and and N. W. For new world record, a world record meant a gold medal followed by a U. S. A sweep of the 200 m backstroke that's me with my arms up High in the center to the right of me, you'll see Gary Dilley with his hands still on the blocks, he took second by 2/10 of a 2nd. 2/10 is about like that. And I had noticed whenever he did a start on the go, he would pull himself up and then release. He was giving away time. That actually is why I won the race and I've sort of felt mildly guilty sort of conflicted about it over the years that I didn't tell him about it. I mean, it was a glaring flaw divided in the pool by lanes you define on the podium by flag. That's sort of right after the race. The two were joined by an american teammate and bronze medalist bob Bennett, amazingly emotional experience. Just standing there for that ceremony. Once graph was etched into olympic history in his lone event. To him, the more meaningful part again to me, the fondest memory is living in the olympic village. I mean that was height of Cold War, but you've got five athletes from all over the world. None of them care about politics, Everybody talks to each other and just a really nice experience. The world was a lot different than yet. The advice graph gives the gold medal hopefuls still rings true. It's really just a matter of maintaining that focus and uh, not, not get distracted focus plus good timing could equal sports immortality grab can tell olympic stories for hours beyond his event. For example, two time NBA champion, his former Princeton classmate and former american senator Bill Bradley actually helped graft sneak into the team USA basketball game against the soviet Union. On the american basketball teams. Way to their own gold medal in Tokyo 57 years later, restrictions and security might be a little bit stricter reporting live in Williston on the road to the Tokyo Tokyo Olympics. Marshall Krimsky, NBC five News. Mhm. Marshall Great Story.

'Amazingly emotional experience': 1964 Olympic gold medalist recounts his race in Tokyo Games

Updated: 7:33 AM EDT May 25, 2021

NBC5 Sportsdesk Anchor/Reporter

The Summer Olympics are fast approaching. The games are returning to Tokyo for the first time since 1964. Jed Graef from Vermont won a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke in the 1964 Olympics. Despite the games taking place 57 years ago, Graef remembers every moment, and movement, from his race for gold. "I had probably my best start, I was gone with the gun...that was pretty much the race right there on the start," Graef said. On just the third day of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Graef, an American swimmer, made history."It was actually harder to make the team than to make the finals in Tokyo just because we were so dominant," Graef said.Proven by a final touch of the pad, and a look up at the leaderboard. "I saw next to my name, I saw a ‘1’ and an ‘NW’ for ‘New World Record,’" Graef said.A world record, meant a gold medal – followed by a USA sweep of the 200-meter Backstroke. Graef defeated Silver Medalist Gary Dilley by two-tenths of a second."Now two-tenths is about 'tap tap,' I had noticed after we started training together out in Palo Alto after the Olympic trials, whenever he did a start on the go, he would pull himself up and the go on the release. He was giving away time on that, I sort of felt mildly guilty over the years that I didn’t tell him about it, I mean it was a glaring flaw," Graef said.Divided in the pool by lanes, unified on the podium by the flag., the two were joined by American teammate and Bronze Medalist Bob Bennett. "That was right after the race, this is the three of us," Graef said. "An amazingly emotional experience standing there for that ceremony."Once Graef was etched into Olympic history in his lone event, to him, the more meaningful part began."To me the fondest memory is living in the Olympic Village, that was the height of the Cold War, but you got 5,000 athletes from all over the world, nobody cares about politics," Graef said.The world was a lot different then. Yet the advice Graef gives to gold medal hopefuls still rings true."It’s really just a matter of maintaining that focus and not getting distracted," Graef said.

SHELBURNE, Vt. —

The Summer Olympics are fast approaching. The games are returning to Tokyo for the first time since 1964.

Jed Graef from Vermont won a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke in the 1964 Olympics. Despite the games taking place 57 years ago, Graef remembers every moment, and movement, from his race for gold.

"I had probably my best start, I was gone with the gun...that was pretty much the race right there on the start," Graef said.

On just the third day of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Graef, an American swimmer, made history.

"It was actually harder to make the team than to make the finals in Tokyo just because we were so dominant," Graef said.

Proven by a final touch of the pad, and a look up at the leaderboard.

"I saw next to my name, I saw a ‘1’ and an ‘NW’ for ‘New World Record,’" Graef said.

A world record, meant a gold medal – followed by a USA sweep of the 200-meter Backstroke. Graef defeated Silver Medalist Gary Dilley by two-tenths of a second.

"Now two-tenths is about 'tap tap,' I had noticed after we started training together out in Palo Alto after the Olympic trials, whenever he did a start on the go, he would pull himself up and the go on the release. He was giving away time on that, I sort of felt mildly guilty over the years that I didn’t tell him about it, I mean it was a glaring flaw," Graef said.

Divided in the pool by lanes, unified on the podium by the flag., the two were joined by American teammate and Bronze Medalist Bob Bennett.

"That was right after the race, this is the three of us," Graef said. "An amazingly emotional experience standing there for that ceremony."

Once Graef was etched into Olympic history in his lone event, to him, the more meaningful part began.

"To me the fondest memory is living in the Olympic Village, that was the height of the Cold War, but you got 5,000 athletes from all over the world, nobody cares about politics," Graef said.

The world was a lot different then. Yet the advice Graef gives to gold medal hopefuls still rings true.

"It’s really just a matter of maintaining that focus and not getting distracted," Graef said.