Simone Manuel’s gold medal is not just for her

Before her, just five other Canadians had ever won three medals at a single Summer Games: Elaine Tanner (two silvers, bronze in Mexico City, 1968), Victor Davis (gold, two silvers in Los Angeles, 1984) and Anne Ottenbrite (gold, silver, bronze in Los Angeles, 1984). We are too. Of course, Phelps is awesome, but c’mon – this guy has enough gold now to open his own jewelry store!

At the same time, Manuel knows that by winning Olympic gold in a sport that still has few people of color, especially in the United States, she carries what she described as “the weight of the black community”.

That’s why, when Manuel won gold Thursday night, she wasn’t just an athlete excelling at her sport.

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., fired four birdies over his first eight holes en route to a 5-under-par 66 as Canada started defence of its 112-year-old Olympic golf title. I mean, this medal’s not just for me, it’s for a whole bunch of people who have came before me and have been an inspiration to me … and for all the people after me who believe they can’t do it.

“When we are in the same room it is very hard to have a conversation because we don’t know who is talking to which Simone”, Manuel said.

As for her relationship with the other Simone – the gymnast Biles – Manuel flashed her big smile and said with a laugh, “Simone Biles and I are practically the same person!”

After her win, Manuel shared a sentiment that came unscripted, straight from the heart, yet could not have delivered a more flawless message.

“She’s the first and hopefully, she won’t be the last”, he says. “At that moment she really realized she was OK with who she was”. But she did not want to play basketball – ironically, because she is tall. Neal is also African American. “My time may not have shown it, but I put in all the effort, and I did everything that I could have, so I’m very happy with where I am, getting a silver medal”.

“I met her a year ago, we’ve hung out a couple times“.

“My first gold medal, at my first Olympics, is kind of a surprise to me”. I tell her, “I’m 38”. Both being awesome athletes from Houston, Texas, they probably had a lot to talk about. She finally did that in semifinals of the 100 here, a 53.11, but even that was just the sixth-best time in the world this year. She has contributed to TeamUSA.org since its inception in 2008.