SARASOTA -Emma Weyant is bringing back a special souvenir from Tokyo.
“It is heavier than I expected,” said Emma. “It’s so cool to actually have and touch it.”
A souvenir roughly 3.35 inches in diameter, weighs about 550 grams, and is made of pure silver. The Sarasota native won the silver medal in the Women’s 400-meter Individual Medley Finals making her an Olympic champion.
Setting a new personal record the 19-year-old Olympian swam the event more than a second faster than anyone else.
“It’s a lot of early morning and afternoons but she loved every second of it and we loved it for her so – I mean it’s a dream come true,” said Kristi Weyant.
A packed house full of Emma’s closest friends, family, and Sarasota Shark swim mates gathered at the Daiquiri Deck on Siesta Key to cheer on the now Silver Medalists Olympian.
For mom Kristi Weyant all of Emma’s hard work and training had paid of.
“This team, these people, I mean this is family,” said Kristi. “It’s Everything, I’m so proud of her.”
The young American finished behind Japan’s Yui Ohashi, who managed to swim away with the gold.
“This is just the culmination of everything since I started swimming,” said Emma. “This is for much more than me, we’re representing all of Team USA and our families back home and it’s such an honor to be here.”
Years of practice that finally paid off for Riverview High School graduate for a moment she’ll never forget.
And neither will the rest of her support team back home who are now eagerly waiting for her return for the celebration to continue.
“It feels like a dream, it just feels like a dream.”
In a post race interview the young Olympic Medalists told NBC she is simply happy to be in Tokyo amongst some of the best in the world.