If it happens, Ledecky will become the first swimmer to win the 200, 400 and 800 free races in the same Olympics in 48 years. Manuel was fighting for a medal, for sure, but a gold seemed unlikely.
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The Team USA swimmer’s face said it all. “I have to attribute that to my coaches and my teammates who have pushed me to never give up”. Tears rolled down each of Manuel’s cheeks as she sang along.
Simone, the gold medalist, is a fearless swimmer, said her US teammate Missy Franklin.
The pair finished in an Olympic record of 52.70 seconds, while Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom took bronze in 52.99secs.
Manuel said that her victory was extra special in the context of ongoing race issues in the U.S.
“I’ve always said that I didn’t need a gold medal to have self-worth and I guess that that’s being put to the test at the moment”, said Cate. I just want to be an inspiration to others that you can do it’. She encouraged more black people into the sport. “I’m just so blessed”. That’s not true because I work just as hard as anybody else, and I love the sport.
Missy Franklin, her US teammate, called Simone a “fearless swimmer”.
Manuel acknowledged that the potential to make history weighed on her. She said she sees her role as a female swimmer of color as important for future athletes. Bronte took fourth, while Cate dropped to sixth, according to CBS News.
The 16-year-old Toronto native finished in an Olympic record time of 52.70 seconds with American Simone Manuel. She’ll leave Rio empty-handed, as far as medals are concerned. They got off to a strong start by knocking off No. 2 Argentina and No. 3 Australia in their first two matches. Missy Franklin, who won four gold medals at the 2012 Games in London, failed to progress from the 200m backstroke semifinals. And she knew it. Ryan graduated from Southern Methodist University past year.
In the end, they both stepped up around the same time. Her reason? She was tall.
“I think that this win helps bring hope and change to some of the issues that are going on in the world, but I mean, I went out there and swam as fast as I could and my colour just comes with the territory”, Manuel said.
But as she has done all week, the young swimmer then did something remarkable. She hates to sweat, and who sweats in a pool? After high school, she managed to defeat Missy Franklin in the 100 freestyle at the grand prix event in Santa Clara, California, which is now called the Arena Pro Swim Series. She swam the final 50 meters of Thursday’s event in just 27.46 seconds, making up ground to Oleksiak in a flash.
The victory by Manuel, the pride of Sugar Land, Texas, came just hours after and just around the corner from where another Simone from the Houston suburbs rocked the Olympics.
Coincidentally, Manuel and Oleksiak’s tie is the third Olympic swimming race in which the gold medal is shared. “Everyone was shocked that the Campbell sisters weren’t involved”.
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“I looked up and saw dots on my blocks”.
