The 2016 Rio Olympics is giving us no shortage of amazing moments: Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and the US women’s gymnastics team taking gold, as well as Michael Phelps continuing to add to his record-smashing medal count (and also sparking the best Olympics meme thus far with his epic mad face). But now, Simone Manuel has made the country proud with her history-making win. Taking the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter freestyle, Simone has just become the first Black woman to ever win an individual swimming event for the USA. Woo!
Technically tying with Canada’s Penny Oleksiak for gold, that didn’t in any way take away from the momentous moment. However, with the race being so wildly close, Simone didn’t know at first who had won. Turning to search for the score boards must have felt like the longest seconds of her life. But when she finally spotted them, OMG the feels!
Simone was absolutely overwhelmed by the win. Not only an amazing personal achievement, she surely had to be aware at some point of what this meant for all American women of color.
Seriously, check out her reaction and just let the emotions take over.
What wasn’t cool was that NBC failed to cover the live medal ceremony. They eventually did air it, but a full hour after it happened. Not the treatment such an awesome historical moment deserves.
Luckily, that didn’t hinder the effect this achievement has had, with peeps quick to show how much Simone Manuel’s win really means.
Congratulations, Simone! We’re so proud!
How many times have you cried during the Olympics so far? Tweet us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Adam Pretty, Christian Petersen, Clive Rose/Getty)