By Elizabeth Ponce
Simone Biles and Simone Manuel have more than just their name in common. Both young women are making headlines this week for their incredible performances at the Rio Olympics. Competing for team USA, these two have won gold both individually and with their teammates.
Simone Biles is a 19-year-old gymnast who has stunned the world with the immense power in her little body. Standing at 4 foot and 9 inches, is bringing home the gold as the all-around individual winner in women’s gymnastics and helpd team USA win gold in the all-around team finals. Biles is no stranger to winning as she holds the most gold medals in the history of World Championships and hasn’t lost an all-around competition in the last 3 years! In Rio, Biles continued her win streak.
Last night, 20-year-old Simone Manuel broke an Olympic record and became the first African-American woman to win an individual swimming event at the Olympics. Early this week, the Standford University swimmer won silver with the womne’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay team. Competing individually on Thursday in the 100m freestyle, Manuel clocked in with a time of 52.70 to make it to the top of the podium. Swimming pools in the U.S. have not always been welcoming to the African-American community. After years of segregation and exclusion, swimming pools have always been a rarity in black communities throughout America. Overjoyed with her historic win, Manuel said that she didn’t want to become known as “the black swimmer”, rather she hoped for greater diversity in swimming and to inspire kids who don’t think they can do it.
These young black women have set a gold standard. Congratulations girls!! You inspire us all.
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