What Is Lilly King’s Pre-Race Swimming Ritual? Everything About the Absurd Act

With five Olympic medals and eleven world championship titles in breaststroke, Lilly King is gearing up for the Paris Games. But before that, she needs to show her skills in the Olympic Trials starting on June 15th at Lucas Oil Stadium. In these trials, the top two performers in her specialties: the 100m and 200m breaststroke, will secure a spot on the Olympic team. Raised in Evansville, Lilly’s journey to the top often took her past Lucas Oil Stadium on her way to swim meets at the Indiana University Natatorium, just a mile away.

Lilly’s success began early at the age of 7, making waves at Indiana University, where she clinched eight NCAA breaststroke titles. Even now, she continues to train there. Since her breakout performance at the 2016 Olympic Trials, where she swept the 100m and 200m breaststrokes, Lilly has been a consistent presence on the U.S. swim team. Notably, Lilly holds the world record in the 100m breaststroke since 2017.

However, Lilly remains focused as she eyes another shot at Olympic glory in Paris. Despite her outstanding talent, she’s known for her rather unconventional pre-race rituals, which some might consider absurd. These idiosyncrasies, however, add a unique flavor to her story, showing that even elite athletes have their peculiarities. But do you know about her so-called absurd acts?

Lilly King, 27, has a unique routine before races. She likes to have a McDonald’s double cheeseburger and a Coke. It might seem unusual for a top athlete, but it’s what works for her. When she’s not swimming, Lilly loves immersing herself in Harry Potter, either through the books or the movies. Her favorite TV show is The X-Files, where she enjoys exploring mysteries.

She’s also a big fan of dogs and cats and enjoys their company. In her free time, this cat mom likes to travel and spend time with her cat, Minnie. These little details show that even Olympic champions have their own fun quirks and interests outside of their sport. But when it comes to her professional life, she seems like a competitive athlete with notable achievements.

Is Lilly King’s journey in the pool reaching its final lap?

Since 2016, Lilly King has been a breaststroke swimmer representing Team USA. She clinched the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke, at the Rio 2016 Olympics. In Tokyo 2020, held in 2021, she secured bronze medals in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke events and later emerged victorious in the 200m event at the world level in 2022. With a total of 23 medals, including 17 golds, Lilly King’s consistency solidifies her legacy as a standout athlete in swimming history.

In 2023, King added more gold to her success in the 4x100m medley relay and silver in the 50m breaststroke. However, she sees the Paris Games as her final Olympics if she secures a spot in June’s trials. While she won’t compete in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, she plans to continue her involvement in swimming.

Although she hasn’t revealed her exact retirement plans, she intends to transition into a different phase of life after competing. King aims to relax, embrace a more ordinary lifestyle, and engage in swim clinics to share her expertise and give back to the swimming community, showing love for the sport even beyond her competitive years.