The pair upset Australian world record holder Cate Campbell, who was on target to break her own world record, with little sister Bronte right behind her.
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Manuel was shocked, and immediately overcome with joy. We just didn’t know how strong.
“I went in there and swam as fast as I could”.
They came into the wall at the touch.
As an African-American swimmer, Simone Manuel has carried a weight on her shoulders every time she steps onto the starting blocks. They both reached for the wall.
There was also a tie the last time an American woman won the event; Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer both took home gold in 1984.
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.
Manuel, 20, who comes from Houston and attends Stanford University, is one of two African-American women who qualified for the United States swim team – the other being Lia Neal who won a 4×100 freestyle relay bronze in Rio. She just didn’t want to play basketball.
It’s a new look for the most decorated athlete in Olympic history who added to his growing legend at the pool.
Daniel Nestor’s shot at a second Olympic tennis gold medal ended Thursday when he and partner Vasek Pospisil lost their semifinal to Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4). “I never thought I would be in this position but I’m so blessed and honored to be on the medal stand”.
In the wake of police brutality that has strained race relations in the US recently, Manuel hopes that her gold medal will bring some “hope and change” to the issues back home. Manuel certainly seems ready to be a spokeswoman.
Manuel said: “It means a lot to me, especially what’s going on in the world today and some of the issues with police brutality”.
In another odd similarity, that made Ervin the first person of African-American heritage to win a gold swimming medal.
Penny Oleksiak continues to solidify herself as a teenage swimming sensation.
Michael Phelps held up four fingers as the wake of his Olympic Games 200-meter individual medley victory washed up against him on a historic night at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. It also happened to be gold. They also tied for the Olympic record in 52.70. “I haven’t gotten the best times in a while and it was time”. Neither did Santo Condorelli, of Kenora, Ont., in the men’s 50-metre freestyle.
Nathan Adrian and Anthony Ervin (50 fr) and Phelps and Tom Shields (100 fly) advanced to finals in their respective races, all with legitimate medal hopes. The Sugar Land, Texas, native stopped the clock at 52.70 – simultaneously with Canada’s Penny Oleksiak.
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Manuel, though, shared it with all young African-American girls. The speedskater won five at Turin 2006.
