After Historic Swimming Gold, Simone Manuel Addresses Police Brutality And Racism
On a day in which Michael Phelps won his 22nd gold medal and Simone Biles cemented her legacy as the best gymnast ever by winning the all-around gold by a record margin, it was another American, Simone Manuel, who broke down the most significant barrier.
On Thursday night in Rio, Manuel became the first African American woman to ever win an individual swimming medal at the Olympics. It happened to be a gold. In the 100-meter freestyle, Manuel actually tied for first place with 16-year-old Canadian Penny Oleksiak, clocking in at 52:70, a new Olympic record.
The significance of the moment was not lost on her, particularly considering the racial tensions back home.
“It means a lot, especially with what is going on in the world today, some of the issues of police brutality,” Manuel said after the race, as reported by USA Today. “This win hopefully brings hope and change to some of the issues that are going on. My color just comes with the territory.”