The 2024 Paris Olympics will be King’s last.
If you’re assembling a “Mount Rushmore” of athletes affiliated with Indiana University, or even just those from the state of Indiana, who have been active over the past few decades, including Lilly King isn’t even worth a discussion.
It’s obligatory.
King’s journey to swimming stardom began in Evansville, Indiana, where she sought out just about any body of water to get reps in on top of her high school natatorium. She was a two-time Indiana state runner-up in the 100-yard breaststroke before joining the storied Hoosiers swimming and diving program as a freshman in 2015.
From there, she took the swimming world by storm. NCAA champion in the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke. Unanimous Big Ten Swimmer of the Year. CSCAA National Swimmer of the Year.
King, in just a single year at the collegiate level, established herself as the greatest SCY breaststroke swimmer in history, setting the following records in her NCAA title winning 100-yard (56.85) and 200-yard (2:03.15) wins:
- Georgia Tech pool
- Indiana program
- Big Ten conference
- U.S. Open
- NCAA meet
- NCAA
- American
She joined Team USA in the 2016 Rio Olympics from there, competing in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke events alongside earning a spot in the 4×100 meter relay team at the Olympic Trials. She became the first Hoosier swimmer to win multiple events at the trials since Mark Spitz and Gary Hall in 1972.
King took home the Gold in Rio with a win in the 100-yard breaststroke, setting a new Olympic record time of 1:04.93.
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Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
King would go on to spend all four years with the Hoosiers, defending her NCAA titles and setting more records along the way. She’s the first woman in history to win four straight NCAA titles in the 100-yard breaststroke and first in Big Ten history to win four straight in any event at the NCAA championships.
She won more medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and looks to add more to her collection in Paris this summer. The 2024 Olympics will be her last, King said in June that she won’t compete in the 2028 trials ahead of the Los Angeles games but stopped short of announcing her retirement.
“I will be watching in Los Angeles, and I’m good with that decision,” King said. “I will not be done after this summer, but I will not be going another four years. I’ll be cheering on the team.”
She was able to finish her Olympic Trials career in her home state, earning a spot on Team USA at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in front of countless Hoosier fans.
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Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Through it all, she’s repped the Hoosiers. Donning her trident or script Indiana-adorned cap at the trials. The home state fans will be rooting for King this summer, as they have for the past two Olympic cycles.