Simone Manuel made history August 11 as the first black woman to win Olympic gold in an individual swimming event.
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It was doubly confusing because this was an Olympic record time, meaning the initials “OR” flashed up on their two names on the results board at the finish – meaning that to some in the crowd it initially looked like judges would be making a decision between one or the other for a single gold medal. It’s was Oleksiak’s eye-popping semi-final in the 100 free-finishing just 0.01 seconds behind Australia’s Cate Campbell, the world record holder-that set up the relay medal, he says.
Bronte faded to fourth, and Cate dropped all the way to sixth at the finish.
Manuel leaned her head into her hands and cried when she recognized her historic achievement in a sport that still has few African-Americans.
Penny Oleksiak has not realized immediately after touching the wall she had a spot on the top step of the podium.
“My first gold medal, at my first Olympics, is kind of a surprise to me”.
The first was at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, when Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer tied at 55.92 seconds. But something magical happened soon enough and Manuel sped ahead with the grace and speed of a mermaid who was in her element.
“It’s been a long journey, and I’m super excited with where it has brought me”, she said.
They both touched the wall in 52.70, tying for the gold medal.
“I think it means a lot, especially what’s going on in the world today with some of the issues with police brutality”, she added.
Until now, Cullen Jones had been the face of swimming for minorities in America, having won two golds and two silvers at the last two Olympics. “It’s for some of the African-Americans that have came before me and have been inspirations and mentors to me”.
Oleksiak has now collected four medals from Rio – the most by a Canadian at a summer Games – winning a 4×100 freestyle bronze on the opening day of the competition, followed by a 100 butterfly silver and another bronze in the 4×200 freestyle.
In 2014-2015, Manuel swum for Stanford University and won two NCAA Division I titles in her freshman year.
“I cannot say what this means to me. It’s for all the people after me who believe they can’t do it, and I just want to be an inspiration to others that you can do it”.
“Her 50 free swim was the fastest 17-18-year-old time and the second-fastest American time in history”, USA Swimming said.
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“You have to work hard and be pretty smart to get into a school like this – but honestly, that’s another reason why I picked it, because I wanted to be in this atmosphere and challenge myself”, she told USA Swimming this year.
