Simone Manuel breaks down in tears as she becomes the first black woman to win an Olympic swimming gold medal - but she SHARES it with Canadian after dramatic tie
- Simone Manuel made history as first US black woman to medal in an individual Olympic swimming event
- The 20-year-old won gold in the women's 100m freestyle race - setting a new Olympic record in process
- Manuel, who came joint first with Canada's Penny Oleksiak, gave USA first gold in the event since 1984
USA's Simone Manuel has made history as the first black woman in the United States to take home a medal in an individual Olympic swimming event.
And it's a gold in the women's 100m freestyle - an event the US has not won since 1984.
It
was an emotional moment for Manuel, 20, who broke down in tears after
winning the event - as well as setting a new Olympic record.
Scroll down for video
USA's Simone Manuel (left) has made
history as the first black woman in the United States to take home a
medal in an individual Olympic swimming event
Manuel came first in the women's 100m
freestyle - an event the US has not won since 1984 - also becoming the
first black woman to take a gold in the event
Manuel of USA celebrated her joint
first place after the women's 100m Freestyle Final race of the Rio 2016
Olympic Games Swimming
Gold medallists USA's Simone Manuel (L) and Canada's Penny Oleksiak show off their gold medals on the podium
It was an emotional moment for Manuel,
20, who broke down in tears after winning the event - as well as
setting a new Olympic record
Manuel (L) was congratulated by her teammate, USA's Abbey Weitzeil, after she won the Women's 100m Freestyle Final
Simone Manuel of the United States
touches the wall to win gold in the Women's 100m Freestyle Final at the
same time as Canada's Penny Oleksiak
'This
medal is not just for me, it's for a whole bunch of people who have
come before me and have been an inspiration to me,' Manuel said.
'And
it's for all the people after me who believe you can't do it,' she
added, getting emotional as she basked in the glory of victory. I just
want to be an inspiration to others that you can do it.'
She
said that while she was proud to become the first American black woman
to medal in an individual swimming event, she hoped to get to a stage
when race was no longer even an issue in the sport.
'I'm
super glad that I can be an inspiration to others and hopefully
diversify the sport,' she said 'But at the same time, I would like there
to be a day where there are more of us and it's not like 'Simone, the
black swimmer,' because the title 'black swimmer' makes it seem like I'm
not supposed to be able to win a gold medal.'
Manuel tied for first place with Canadian teenager Penny Oleksiak in an Olympic record time of 52.70 seconds.
The
gold medalists, who were both making their Olympic debuts in Rio, beat
heavy favorites, sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell to victory.
Manuel, who has also won silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay, broke into tears after the interview.
USA's Simone Manuel (R) appeared
stunned to learn that she had come joint first with Canada's Penny
Oleksiak (pictured with Australia's Bronte Campbell)
USA's Simone Manuel (L) was overcome
with emotion when the results were announced and she was congratulated
by Canada's Penny Oleksiak
United States' Simone Manuel, left,
and Canada's Penny Oleksiak celebrate winning joint gold and setting a
new Olympic record in the women's 100-meter freestyle
The gold medalists shared a hug in the Olympic pool after they were announced as winners of the Women's 100m Freestyle Final
United States' Simone Manuel held up her finger for 'number one' after she won the gold medal in the women's 100-meter freestyle
Manuel came from behind in the race, taking third place at the 50m turn.
She
pressed on hard and passed into second place, dueling it out with
Oleksiak. They touched the finishing line together, down to one
hundredth of a second.
Manuel - who has been dubbed by friends and family 'Swimone' for her talent - showed promise as a swimmer from an early age.
In
her freshman year at Stanford University she broke the American and
NCAA Records in the 100-yard freestyle - her signature event.
During the 2013 World Championships, Manuel, from Sugar Land, Texas, made another historical swim.
She became the first American swimmer ever to break the 25 second barrier in the 50 meter freestyle as a junior swimmer.
Manuel was on both the 2013 World Championship Team and the 2013 Duel in the Pool team that won against the European All Stars.
The
following year, in the Pan Pacific Championships, she earned two silver
medals - in the 400 freestyle relay and the 400 medley relay.
She also earned a bronze medal in her signature event, the 100 freestyle, and came fourth in the 50 freestyle.
During
Manuel's Olympic Trials, she impressed by placing second in the 100m
freestyle earning her place on Team USA for the event and in the 4x100m
Freestyle Relay.
The
first black woman to earn a place on the US swim team was Maritza
Correia who is also famous for being the first African American female
swimmer to break an American record in 2002.
She
went onto help Team USA secure a silver medal on the 400-meter
freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
More than a decade later, and Manuel became the first black female swimmer in the US to win an individual medal.
Joint Gold medalist Simone Manuel of USA smiles and hold up her hands in celebration on the podium during the medal ceremony
Simone Manuel waves the American national flag during the medal ceremony of the Women's 100m Freestyle Final
Manuel (L) came joint first with
Canada's Penny Oleksiak (C), who pose with silver medallist Sweden's
Sarah Sjostrom on the podium of the Women's 100m Freestyle Final
Gold medal winners United States'
Simone Manuel, left, the first black American woman to win a medal in
women's individual swimming events, bites her gold as she poses with
Canada's Penny Oleksiak
United States' gold medal winner Simone Manuel wipes away her happy tears after she won the event
USA's Simone Manuel won a gold medal in the women's 100m freestyle at the Rio Olympics
Manuel leaves the pool after winning the gold and setting a new Olympic record in the women's 100-meter freestyle
No comments:
Post a Comment