U.S. Olympic swimmer goes for gold with Buffalo in her heart

Emma Weber isn’t a born-and-raised Buffalonian, but when she goes for gold at the Paris Olympics, she’ll be powered by her Buffalo roots and an Olympic pedigree.

When Emma Weber swims for gold in Paris, she’ll be powered by Buffalo roots and an Olympic pedigree.

The 20-year-old University of Virginia swimmer was born in Colorado but refers to Buffalo as a second home. Her family made the pilgrimage to Western New York each summer, and the memories made a lasting impression.

“When we were younger, my brother and I would get mad at our parents for not raising us in Buffalo,” Weber told WIVB News 4 ahead of Friday’s Opening Ceremony. “To us, Buffalo was and still is a very special place.”

A sizeable cheering section of friends and family in Western New York will be glued to the TV on Sunday when Emma’s heats begin in the 100-meter breaststroke. The semifinals are scheduled for later Sunday, with the final at 3:25 p.m. (EST) Monday.

An Olympic medal would be the crown jewel in the family’s sporting legacy. Weber’s great-grandmother, Louise Weigel, was a Buffalo native who competed for the U.S. in figure skating at the 1932 Lake Placid Olympics and again in Germany in 1936. Louise’s sister, Estelle, also competed in 1936, though neither brought home a medal. The siblings and another sister, Mary, were posthumously inducted to the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame as a trio in 2018.

Weber’s parents, Kurt and Deirdra, grew up in Buffalo but moved out west for Kurt’s job with Boston Beer Company. They brought the kids home for the holidays and extended trips during summer vacation.

“Buffalo holds most of my childhood memories, all of my family, and many of my best friends,” Weber said. “Since birth my partners have made sure that that community of people they love in Buffalo were prevalent and well-integrated into me and my brother (Reid)’s life. My family and my family’s community of people in Buffalo are what makes Buffalo so special and a home in my eyes. I think not growing up in Buffalo made me appreciate the power and importance of family and lifelong friendships.”

Weber got her start in the pool at Country Club of Buffalo at age 2 or 3. She later swam with the Tonawanda Titans and Star Swimming during trips home before becoming a Colorado high school state champion and a member of the U.S. Junior National Team.

To qualify for Paris, Weber needed the best performance of her life. The women’s 100-meter breaststroke final at U.S. Olympic Trials featured a decorated field that included current world-record holder Lilly King, reigning Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby, and a slew of other Olympic medalists and NCAA champions.

Weber was fourth at the turn but stormed down the final 50 meters to finish second, outstretching her 6-foot frame to touch the wall a quarter of a second before Jacoby. Weber’s jaw dropped when she saw the scoreboard, knowing her finish was good enough to send her to the Olympics. King swam over from the next lane to offer a celebratory hug.

“If you have the swim of your life, you can make it. And that’s what happened,” Weber’s mother, Deirdra Pottle Weber said. “It’s still a pinch-me moment.”

As Weber’s reaction indicated, qualifying was a bit of a surprise. She and her friends had planned to go to Paris as spectators to support their college teammates. Weber’s plane ticket was already booked when she learned she’d be going to compete, instead.

“I did buy swim tickets for the 100 breaststroke so she could watch it,” Pottle Weber said. “Now, I have the tickets to watch her swim.”