That tied her with 16-year-old Canadian Penny Oleksiak, the pair sharing a new Olympic record and both receiving a gold medal.
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“Then my husband saw Olympic record and saw she had gotten first”, Sharron told The Associated Press by phone Friday. She became the first black woman to win gold in an Olympic swimming event, and first to medal in an individual event.
There was disappointment for Australia’s Campbell sisters, with world champion Bronte finishing fourth (53.04sec) and world record-holder Cate (53.24), leading in world-record time at the turn but fading at the finish to sixth. But the Australian siblings, who teamed up to lead their country to gold in the 4×100 freestyle relay, couldn’t hang on.
Rio is the first Olympics where the US swim team has two black women – Manuel and her close friend Lia Neal, who won a silver medal in the 4×100 freestyle relay. Manuel was followed by Canada’s Penny Oleksiak, who won the silver and Sweden’s Sarah Sjorstrom.
Manuel’s roommate in Rio, gold medal-Olympian Katie Ledecky, tweeted out her congratulations for Manuel shortly after the race.
U.S.A.’s Simone Manuel tied with a Canadian swimmer in the 100m freestyle. It’s a long process to get there, she said.
Manuel’s win was also the first time an American has taken home the gold in the sport since 1984.
History has once again been made at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
She talked of her historic win, noting the struggle it’s been to have success in a sport where people of color are rare. She finished fourth at this year’s US trials to qualify for the relay team in Rio.
When Manuel and teammate Lia Neal were both selected for Rio, it was the first time two black female athletes were chosen to be on the American swim team at the same time. “Instead, I looked to become an Olympic swimmer by watching Amy Van Dyken win four gold medals at the Atlanta ’96 games”. But the particularly racist history of American swimming pools – and resulting lack of opportunity for black swimmers for decades – makes it an even more poignant victory.
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Simone expressed that she hoped that she can serve as an inspiration to others. “I hope I’m an inspiration for others to get out there and try swimming”. “I don’t know, all I can say is all glory to God”, she told the reporter.
