Olympic trials stunner: Simone Manuel won't get to defend her historic gold medal in Tokyo

Simone Manuel, the first Black woman to win an individual swimming gold medal at the Olympics, won't get a chance to defend that historic medal in Tokyo.

Manuel, one of stars of Team USA in 2016, failed to make the 100-meter freestyle finals at U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha on Thursday night, five years after winning the event in Rio de Janeiro.

The 24-year-old Texan finished ninth in the semis, 0.02 seconds behind the eight-place finisher. Manuel stood poolside, biting the strap of her goggles, as she realized her time wouldn't be good enough to qualify for Friday night's eight-woman final.

Manuel still has a chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. She'll swim the 50-meter freestyle this weekend, an event in which she holds the American record. Manuel won silver in it five years ago in Rio.

But her failure to even qualify for the 100 free final was stunning. Because she wasn't a one-hit wonder in Rio. She went to world championships one year later and won five gold medals. At worlds in 2019, she won four golds and three silvers. Two of the golds were in the 50 and 100 free.

According to NBC's Mike Tirico, Manuel "was out of the pool and not training for three weeks from the very end of March til mid-April." Tirico mentioned that Manuel hadn't gotten to see her family much during the pandemic. He also referenced the Olympic postponement, the "racial reckoning" in America, and the fact that Manuel, as one of the few elite Black swimmers, is asked about the topic far more than any of her peers.

"So Simone has had a difficult stretch," Tirico said on the broadcast. "And that’s part of her walking away from the training for three weeks. Needed to get out of the pool … She was exhausted.”

Manuel hadn't been herself in 2021. On Thursday night, she swam her 100 free semifinal, the first of two heats, in 54.17 seconds, more than two full seconds slower than her American record time of 52.04.

It was good enough for fourth in her heat. But in the second semi, five swimmers swam faster – including Erika Brown in 54.15 seconds, narrowly edging out Manuel.

There is an outside chance that Manuel could be offered a lifeline in the 100. As SwimSwam's Braden Keith pointed out, if one of the eight finalists were to scratch, Manuel could take their place on Friday night. Such a move could be beneficial for Team USA, because Manuel's absence not only dents U.S. hopes of a medal in the 100 free, it also hurts the team in the 4×100 relay. Manuel was a part of that team, which won silver, in Rio.

But if there's no lifeline, her one shot at Tokyo is the 50 free. Prelims are Saturday morning, semifinals Saturday night, and the final Sunday night.

Qualifiers for the FINAL of the Women's 100 Freestyle:
1. Natalie Hinds/Olivia Smoliga – 53.55
2. —
3. Abbey Weitzeil – 53.66
4. Catie DeLoof – 53.77
5. Linnea Mack – 54.03
6. Allison Schmitt – 54.08
7. Kate Douglass – 54.14
8. Erika Brown – 54.15#SwimTrials21

— SwimSwam (@swimswamnews) June 18, 2021

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