But many of them are trailblazers in their countries, and they were inspired by American Simone Manuel, who a night earlier became the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming.
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Nada Al-Bedwawi was also moved by Manuel’s historic swim.
“In my book, I have some pictures of black Americans who literally sort of lie still on the ground with bloody heads from being pummeled to the ground, just for trying to access a swimming pool”, Wiltse said.
Campbell was on pace to take her world record even lower when she made the turn out front, with little sister Bronte right behind her. He points to the example of the women’s 4×200-m freestyle relay team. Then the 16-year-old Torontonian simply turned on the jets, swimming the back half of the race a half-second faster than anyone else, making up all of that lost water and touching the wall in a dead-heat for gold. Oleksiak became the first Olympic gold medallist born in the 21st century and the youngest in Canadian history.
American Simone Manuel and Canada’s Penny Oleksiak claimed joint gold in a remarkable finish to the women’s 100m freestyle final. My grandmother jokes that she never wants to be in more water than she can drink, and I pretty much agree.
Both women, one 16 and the other 20 and very much part of a new wave in swimming, touched the wall in 52.70 seconds as the crowd gasped at the times flashing up on the scoreboard.
It was the second time the women’s 100 freestyle had ended in such a fashion – the 1984 Los Angeles Games saw a tie between Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer in 55.92. Cullen Jones was the best known, having won two golds and two silvers at the last two Olympics.
The gold medal placed around her neck on Thursday could help to lift it.
With racial tensions roiling the United States, Manuel used her newly-achieved platform to speak out.
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”. Stanford alumna Maya DiRado advanced to the 200 backstroke finals but former Cal star Missy Franklin – the world-record holder and defending Olympic champion – failed to make the final eight.
Manuel’s teammate, Lia Neal, earned silver on the 4×100 free relay in Rio and bronze on the same relay four years ago in London. “Just surpassing that goal and getting an American record on top of a gold medal is super exciting for me”.
Manuel, 20, who comes from Houston and attends Stanford University, is one of two African-American women who qualified for the USA swim team – the other being Lia Neal who won a 4×100 freestyle relay bronze in Rio.
And she hopes she can serve as a role model to other young swimmers.
“When I see Michael, I know it’s not the same condition as me”, Ouedraogo said. “He’s leaving for a year, you’ve gotta give him a hug.’ And I’m like, ‘Ohhh, okay, fine” …
Manuel, who attends Stanford and has a brother who played basketball at SMU, looks forward to a time when there is greater diversity in the pool. And most of all, her four medals in Rio, including a silver and two bronzes, make her the most decorated Canadian ever at a single Olympics.
And Manuel hopes she can just be a swimmer and a champion without her race being a factor.
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Manuel said she hoped her first gold would bring change.
