RIO DE JANEIRO Canadian Penny Oleksiak and Simone Manuel of the United States were inseparable at the finish and even more united in joy after a stunning 100 metres freestyle dead-heat rewarded both with Olympic gold on Thursday.
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RIO DE JANEIRO Another Simone from suburban Houston made history in the Olympic pool Thursday night. More notably, they beat out heavy favorites, sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell.
It was just the third time an Olympic swimming gold had been shared, and the second in this event after U.S. duo Carrie Steineseifer and Nancy Hogshead achieved a similar feat at Los Angeles 1984.
And Sjostrom was also amazed by what was just the third split gold medal in Olympic history after Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer shared the 1984 100m freestyle and another United States pair, Anthony Ervin and Gary Hall Jr, split the men’s 50m in 2000. “She deserves it as much as me”, said Oleksiak, still only 16, who was only seventh at the turn but powered back on the final 50 meters.
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.
Born in June 2000, she is the first person to win an individual Olympic gold who has only been alive in this century, The Guardian noted.
The 20-year-old swimmer said she did not expect to win the gold individually.
Manuel said she hoped her first gold would bring change.
“The gold medal wasn’t just for me, it was for people who have come before me and inspired me to stay in the sport, and for people who believe they can’t do it”, she said. “I never thought I would be in this position but I’m so blessed and honoured to be on the medal stand”, the American said of her medal.
“It’s a lot, I mean this medal is not just for me”, Manuel told NBC.
“I think it took about five minutes to set in”, she said.
When Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers is tweeting congratulations to a swimmer, you know you’ve done something special. “But I do hope that it kind of goes away”. April Ross and three-time gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings wrapped up pool play with a flawless record on Wednesday.
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“That helped keep the nerves off me”, Manuel said.
