Simone Biles’ historic performance in the all-around Thursday not only gave her the gold medal, but sealed her status as one of the best gymnasts of all time.
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They have been making history – and here’s how.
As recreational swimming became more popular in the 1920s and ’30s, black children were routinely denied entrance to the pools, sometimes violently. Around the same time, pools in cities around the country were becoming officially racially segregated.
The San Jose Mercury News has apologized for the headline “Olympics: Michael Phelps shares historic night with African-American”, that it ran after US swimmer Simone Manuel won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics on Thursday.
The women’s gymnastics competition resumes on Sunday, August 14.
“It’s very special that both our names are Simone and that we both won gold and we’re both from Houston”.
The journalist and Ferlito both laughed over the racist remark. “I mean, the gold medal wasn’t just for me; it was for people that came before me and inspired me to stay in the sport”.
Aimee Boorman, her coach since age 7, said Friday she doesn’t expect to see Biles back in the gym for at least a year after the Rio Games, even if she decides to return for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
She already owns three world championships, and now has two Olympic golds.
The next three for Simone Biles could be for the record books. “It’s like everything that has led me up to this moment has paid off, and it’s all been worth it”. But as soon as the Olympics are over, the gold medal-winning athletes have big plans – to pig out. “I’m still the same person”.
Manuel represents hope. Of all the jokes that comedians make about blacks and swimming, the most popular and depressing involve women.
USA Gymnastics and USA Swimming have made some efforts to study and increase diversity.
We’re not an unusual African-American family. Nationwide, blacks make up about 13% of the United States population. “I can’t thank them enough”. After preparation that took a lifetime, Manuel thus became a role model in less than a minute.
Katie Ledecky, Women’s 200m Freestyle – Swedish sprint swimmer Sarah Sjostrom was neck and neck with Ledecky through the entire race, but Ledecky managed to stave her off and win gold #2 by 0.35 seconds. After the Magnificent Seven won team gold in Atlanta in 1996, Jaycie (Phelps) and Dominique (Moceanu and Dawes) experienced a temporary rise that and the following year, before later dropping off.
Maritza Correia McClendon, an Olympic medalist in swimming, tweeted, “Waking up and still in shock and so proud of you Simone Manuel”.
When Manuel was asked about what it was like coming up in a sport that is dominated by white athletes, she told reporters it is something she has been conscious of as she’s risen through the ranks of the swimming world. She’s favored to win the vault and the balance beam golds and, along with Raisman, a co-favorite in the floor exercise.
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“When I see Michael, I know it’s not the same condition as me”, Ouedraogo said.
