Simone Manuel

American competitive swimmer and Olympic champion, first African American woman to win individual Olympic swimming gold in 100m freestyle at Rio 2016.

Born in Sugar Land, Texas, on August 2, 1996, Simone Ashley Manuel began swimming at age four and quickly demonstrated exceptional talent in the pool. She trained under coach Allison Beebe at First Colony Swim Team before joining the Stanford University swimming program, where she continued to develop her sprint freestyle technique while pursuing a communications degree. Manuel's breakthrough came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she made history by becoming the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic swimming gold medal. Her victory in the 100-meter freestyle, shared in a dead heat with Canada's Penny Oleksiak, marked a pivotal moment in American swimming. She also earned silver as part of the U.S. 4x100-meter freestyle relay team at those Games. Her success continued at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she helped secure gold in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay and bronze in the 4x100-meter medley relay. At the World Championships level, Manuel established herself as a dominant force in sprint events. She captured multiple world titles, including individual gold medals in the 100-meter freestyle at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. Her performances consistently placed her among the world's fastest swimmers, with personal bests that ranked her historically among the elite in women's sprint freestyle events. Manuel also excelled at the collegiate level, contributing to Stanford's NCAA championship teams. Manuel's impact extends far beyond her medal collection. Her Olympic triumph challenged long-standing perceptions about African American participation in swimming, inspiring increased diversity in the sport. She has been vocal about issues of representation and access to swimming programs, using her platform to advocate for broader participation. Her success opened doors for future generations while demonstrating the importance of inclusive athletic opportunities. Manuel's achievements represent not only individual excellence but also a transformative moment in swimming history, establishing her as both a champion and a catalyst for positive change in American aquatic sports.

Sprint freestyle specialist with explosive starts and powerful strokes

Broke barriers in swimming, inspiring diversity in aquatic sports

• Olympic Gold 2016 (100m freestyle) — first African American woman
• Olympic Gold 2020 (relay)
• World Champion multiple times