Stanford’s Manuel gets Olympic berth after thrilling win
OMAHA,NEB.>> When Stanford’s Simone Manuel whipped around to see the “1” beside her name, months of emotions came pouring out.
She closed her eyes, brought her hands together in prayer and struggled to hold back the tears.
Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil, the woman she had just beaten, leaped over the lane rope with a huge smile — so happy for her friend that she didn’t mind settling for the runner-up spot.
Everyone in the stands saluted Manuel’s perseverance with an ovation that rocked the arena.
Days after revealing she was diagnosed with overtraining syndrome, Manuel — the first Black woman to capture an individual gold medal in swimming — provided the most stirring moment of the entire U.S. Olympic swimming trials by winning the chaotic 50-meter freestyle Sunday night.
“More than anything, I’m relieved,” she said. “Today may have been the longest day of my life and the longest 50 of my life.”
Manuel furiously covered the length of the pool in 24.29 to edge Weitzeil, who already had locked up her spot on the team with a victory in the 100 free, by one-hundredth of a second. Incoming Stanford freshman Torri Huske was third in the 50 free with a 24.46.
While Manuel is heading
back to the Olympics, former Cal star Nathan Adrian’s bid for a fourth appearance at the Summer Games came up just short when he finished third in the men’s 50 free.
Caeleb Dressel tied his American record with another dominating performance, touching about a half-body length ahead of Michael Andrew in 21.04 seconds.
Get ready, Tokyo. Dressel will have three individual races at these games, and he’ll also be swimming at least three relays.
Andrew earned his third individual event at the Olympics in 21.48, while Adrian was next at 21.73.
Dressel hopped on the lane rope and splashed the water, while a smiling Adrian came over to congratulate the successor to Michael Phelps as America’s biggest male swimming star.
The 32-year-old Adrian beat testicular cancer and arrived at Omaha as a new father. He hoped to cap the journey with a fourth Olympics, but the eighttime medalist failed to qualify for the final of the 100 free and wasn’t quite fast enough over one lap. That’s OK.
He was eager to see his 4-month-old daughter, Parker.
“My heart kind of explodes just thinking about it,” Adrian said. “I’m so excited go hang out with her and hold her. I’ve got a lot to look forward to when I get home.”