It wasn’t just the historic race that Simone Manuel had swum, but her emotional reaction that took over social media.
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“I saw Simone’s name and thought, “OK, I came second”, and then I saw that it said Olympic record beside both names”, Oleksiak said.
As an African-American swimmer, Simone Manuel has carried a weight on her shoulders every time she steps onto the starting blocks.
“It’s pretty insane to win a gold medal at your first Olympics”, she said. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images) Adam Pretty/Getty Images Sport/Getty ImagesRIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 11: Gold medalist Simone Manuel of the United States celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women’s 100m Freestyle Final on Day 6 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 11, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Now she has a gold in that same event. “I went out there and swam as fast as I could, and my color just comes with the territory”.
She was also seeded behind Australian siblings Cate and Bronte Campbell and Canadian 16-year-old Penny Oleksiak.
She told CNN in March that she at times struggled with being African-American in a sport typically dominated by white athletes. Oleksiak has now collected four medals at Rio 2016 – the most by a Canadian at a summer Games – winning a 4x100m freestyle bronze, followed by a 100m butterfly silver and another bronze in the 4x200m freestyle.
“I met other minorities who were facing some of the same things that I was, so through that process I didn’t feel so alone”, she said in March.
Manuel was overcome with tears as she celebrated her victory with Oleksiak.
“It’s been a long journey and I’m super excited with where it has brought me”, she said.
USA swimmer Simone Manuel made history Thursday night. Incoming freshman Katie Ledecky will compete in the 800-meter freestyle and Maya DiRado (class of 2014) swims in the 200-meter backstroke finals on Friday night, while diving also starts Friday for Kassidy Cook. “And after prelims and semi-finals and seeing where I was sitting, when I came in tonight I was like, “I want to get on that medal stand”.
Until now, Cullen Jones had been the face of swimming for minorities in America, having won two golds and two silvers at the last two Olympics.
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“All I can say is all glory to God”, Manuel said.
