Gold medalist Manuel’s legacy keeps growing
Stanford star set to turn pro and continue spreading the message of inspiring minorities to learn to swim
SANTA CLARA >> As Simone Manuel stepped to the starting blocks the other night it rekindled fond memories of the Rio Games when the Stanford swimmer had a look of astonishment after tying for first in what became a socialchanging moment in sports history.
Manuel, then a sophomore, was the first African-American women swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal when she tied Canadian Penny Oleksiak in the 100-meter freestyle.
“Rio is really when I thought swimming is bigger than myself,” Manuel said Sunday night at the end of the TYR Pro Series at Santa Clara. “I realized the impact I could have on people.”
She had defeated Oleksiak in the 100 Saturday night then easily won the 50 freestyle Sunday in a two-swimmer showdown against Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil. The four-time Olympic medalist won in a time of 24.67 seconds at the George F. Haines International Center.
Manuel, 21, has remained a potent symbol in a sport that wants to shed its country-club image.
Although she plans to take classes next year, Manuel is about to sign a professional contract after participating in graduation ceremonies this weekend.
That decision is wrapped up in finding sponsors who want to promote her message of inspiring minorities to learn to swim.
Manuel, who won five gold medals at the 2017 World Championships and helped Stanford defend its NCAA title this spring, doesn’t care if kids matriculate to the Olympics.
“The most important thing is saving lives more than winning gold medals,” she said.
Manuel has conducted swimming clinics around the country to encourage minorities to learn to swim.
The hope is more minorities follow Manuel as the formidable freestylist continues to plow through the water leaving challengers in her considerable wake.
But the inroads by minority swimmers has not happened quickly. Manuel has talked about feeling different growing up in the Houston area when asking her mother at age 12: “Why aren’t there more kids who look like me?”
Almost every AfricanAmerican elite swimmer has shared similar stories.
Manuel’s Stanford teammate Lia Neal has marked the openings for swimmers like her with each new achievement: First African-American woman to make a U.S. Olympic team, first to swim in a final and then the breakthrough performance in Rio two years ago.
The Brooklyn swimmer could have added the feat she, Manuel and Natalie Hinds achieved at the NCAA championships in 2015 in the 100 freestyle. The women became the first African-American women to finish first, second and third in a single event at the collegiate championships.
“We’re headed in the right direction,” Neal said of the recent performances. “Kids see themselves in us.”
Neal, 23, has discovered the power of their accomplishments within her own family. Her two nephews and a niece have followed the two-time Olympian into the pool.
“They want to do what I do,” Neal said.
Manuel’s roommate in Rio de Janeiro was Katie Ledecky, who won four gold medals and a silver medallion at the 2016 Olympics.
But Ledecky wasn’t at the pool on a historic night because she had to rest for her 800-meters final the next day. Ledecky, though, stayed up until Manuel returned to the Olympic Village just to give her Stanford teammate a hug.
When in the swimming bubble it’s easy for Manuel to forget she represents more than herself.
Then someone asks her about taking care of her hair after spending so much time in the water.
“My swimming and winning are more important than what my hair looks like,” Manuel said when asked Sunday. “My hair isn’t going to look like the other swimmers.”
The more African-American swim stars the easier it will be for Manuel to overcome stereotypes. She and the others are welcoming Reece Whitley, a 6-foot-9 African-American from Washington D.C. who has committed to Cal and could be the next big swim star.
“Representation is important,” said Manuel, who plans to train under at Stanford through the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
For now, she is preparing for the U.S. championships in July and likely the Pan-Pacifics in August in Japan.
But Manuel’s summer almost took a different route during warmups for the 100 butterfly the other day when she butted heads with another swimmer.
It hurt. Manuel woke up Saturday morning with a slight headache. But Meehan said she passed the concussion protocols and was able to compete in the 100 freestyle.
“It was scary,” the coach said.
But it didn’t stop Manuel from leaving Santa Clara with another successful showing.