Juneau’s PJ Foy takes a shot at Team USA at Olympic Trials

PJ Foy competes astatine nan Alaska Swimming State Championships successful April, 2023. (Photo/Kevin Tuning)

Recent Juneau precocious schoolhouse graduate and soon-to-be collegiate swimmer PJ Foy competed successful nan U.S. Olympic tests successful Indianapolis connected Friday.

The Thunder Mountain High School alumni competed successful nan men’s 100-meter butterfly alongside immoderate of nan champion swimmers successful nan country. He vanished 49 out of much than 60 swimmers. That means he won’t compete for Team USA successful nan Paris games. But, he said conscionable being astatine nan tests was an astonishing experience. 

“It was truthful cool to spot —  I was capable to spot a batch of nan swimmers that I’ve looked up to successful years past,” he said. 

Foy is conscionable 18 years aged and holds aggregate aquatics records successful Alaska. He’s headed to nan University of North Carolina astatine Chapel Hill to study machine programming and compete connected its aquatics team.

Last week, he traveled to Indianapolis pinch his family, who helped him get acclimated to nan clip alteration and get utilized to nan venue. Foy said their support, on pinch nan swimming organization successful Juneau, is what made this title truthful typical to him. 

“The only point I wanted to opportunity is convey you to everyone,” he said. “Like everyone who’s ever supported maine successful each small way. Whether aliases not it seems for illustration it intends a lot, it ever intends a ton.”

PJ’s mom, Catherine Foy, said he has received thing but support from nan swimming organization crossed Alaska. Watching him compete connected Friday was an highly proud infinitesimal for her arsenic a parent. 

“I was truthful proud erstwhile he came retired of that passageway wherever they participate nan stadium,” she said. “His caput was up. And he was successful afloat beast mode. He was fresh to race.”

At nan trials, Foy joined fellow Alaskan Lydia Jacoby from Seward. In 2021, she became nan first Alaska-born swimmer to badge successful nan Olympics. This clip around, she placed 3rd successful nan 100-meter breaststroke and withdrew from nan 200-meter breaststroke final, meaning she besides won’t compete successful nan Paris Olympics. 

But, successful a connection connected societal media, she assured supporters that “I americium not defined by my results. I americium much than an athlete. I will beryllium back. And I will beryllium better.”