Simone Manuel

Simone Manuel became the first Black woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming when she touched the wall first in the 100-meter freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She tied for gold with a time of 52.70 — an Olympic record.

Growing up in Sugar Land, Texas, Manuel was acutely aware that Black people were underrepresented in swimming — a legacy of segregated pools and generational exclusion from aquatic sports. She used her platform to advocate for water safety and swim access in communities of color.

At Stanford, she became the most decorated swimmer in NCAA history. She overcame overtraining syndrome ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, speaking openly about the physical and mental toll — helping normalize conversations about athlete wellbeing.