Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images(RIO DE JANEIRO) — Team USA swimmer Simone Manuel made Olympic history in Rio Thursday, when she tied for gold with Canada’s Penny Oleksiak in the women’s 100-meter freestyle. Finishing the race in 52.70 seconds, both women set a new Olympic record, and Manuel became the first African-American woman to win an individual event in Olympic swimming.
Manuel’s roommate in Rio, gold medal-Olympian Katie Ledecky, tweeted out her congratulations for Manuel shortly after the race.
AHHH!!! My roomie @simone_manuel just won a gold medal! I’m shaking. So proud of you. #CHAMP
— Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky) August 12, 2016
It isn’t the first Olympic medal for Manuel. She won a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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