The world fell in love with Simone Manuel the moment she won gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics, becoming the first Black American woman to win an individual medal in swimming. However, Simone’s barrier-breaking, record-making days began long before that memorable moment in Rio. From State to National Age Group Records to American and World Records, Simone has continued to thrive at the highest level.
Time and time again, Simone was regarded as the underdog. And time and time again, Simone shattered assumptions. After Rio, Simone cemented herself as one of the world’s best sprinters by earning 5 gold medals and one bronze medal at the following year’s World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. She continued to amaze the world with her stellar performances at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, where Simone became the first woman to win 7 medals at a World Championships. Additionally, she earned back to back world titles in the 100-meter freestyle and became the first American woman to sweep both sprint events at a World Championships by adding a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle.
From her infectious smile to her magnetic personality that’s easy to connect with, Simone has demonstrated that she’s an athlete with courage, fire, and grit, who is a force to be reckoned with in and out of the pool. Her pursuit of excellence drives her commitment to save lives through swim lessons and to inspire all people to reach beyond what is thought to be impossible.
Rio 2016 Olympics
2
2
International Medals
13
11
4
“
I was here to carve my own path, to widen the lane for others. I was not here to apologize for my ambition.
”
- Simone Manuel
Dive In
Keep Swimming
2020
Unfortunately, the season was cut short due to Coronavirus, but the hard work required to reach goals continues.
Our dreams are delayed, not denied!
2019
World Championships - Gwangju, South Korea
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Won gold in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle (AR-52.04), Mixed 4x100-meter freestyle relay, 4x100-meter medley relay and earned silver in the 4x100-meter free relay, 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and Mixed 4x100-meter medley relay.
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First American woman to win back to back world titles in the 100-meter freestyle (only the second woman in history to ever win back to back).
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Led all female swimmers and is the first female swimmer to win 7 medals at World Championships.
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Earned a Golden Goggle for Female Athlete of the Year and Relay Performance of the Year (Women’s 4x100M Medley Relay) for her performances in Gwangju.
WR - World Record
AR - American Record
2018
Pan Pacific Championships - Tokyo, Japan
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Five-time medalist - earning Silver in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 4x100-meter freestyle relay, 4x100-meter medley relay, and bronze in the Mixed 4x100-meter medley relay.
U.S. National Championships - Irvine, CA
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Set U.S. Open records in her wins in the 50-meter freestyle (24.10) and 100-meter freestyle (52.54) and placed 5th in the 200-meter freestyle.
Stanford Women’s Swimming
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Member of NCAA Championship team and PAC-12 Championship team, Team Captain, earned Honda Sports Award as the best overall female collegiate athlete, Seven-time All-America, and Three-time PAC-12 champion.
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Earned 6 NCAA Titles: 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay** (1:25.43), 200-yard medley relay** (1:33.11), 400-yard medley relay** (3:25.09), and 400-yard freestyle relay.
**NCAA and American Record
2017
World Championships - Budapest, Hungary
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Won gold in the 100-meter freestyle (AR-52.27), 4x100-meter freestyle relay (AR-3:31.72), 4x100-meter medley relay (WR-3:51.55), Mixed 4x100-meter medley relay (WR-3:38.56), Mixed 4x100-meter freestyle relay (WR-3:19.16), and earned silver in the 50-meter freestyle (AR-23.97).
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Led all-female American swimmers with seven medals.
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Earned a Golden Goggle for Female Athlete of the Year and Relay Performance of the Year (Women’s 4x100M Medley Relay) for her performances in Gwangju.
Stanford Women’s Swimming
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Member of NCAA Championship team and PAC-12 Championship team, CSCAA Scholar All-America, Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year, Seven-time All-America, and first woman under 46 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle.
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Earned 4 NCAA Titles: 50-yard freestyle* (21.17), 100-yard freestyle** (45.56), 400-yard freestyle relay** (3:07.61), 800-yard freestyle relay** (6:45.91).
*NCAA Record
**NCAA and American Record
WR - World Record
AR - American Record
2016
Rio Olympic Games
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Won gold in the 100-meter freestyle and 4x100-meter medley relay, silver in the 50-meter freestyle, and 4x100-meter freestyle relay.
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Her gold in the women’s 100-meter freestyle was achieved in an Olympic record time of 52.07 and was history-making- it was the first for the U.S. in the event since 1984 and marked the first-ever individual gold medal for an African-American female swimmer.
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For her performance in the 100-meter freestyle at the Olympics, she won a Golden Goggle for Female Race of the Year.
U.S. Olympic Trials - Omaha, Nebraska
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Finished second in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle to qualify for her first Olympic team.
2015
World Championships - Kazan, Russia
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Won gold in the Mixed 4x100-meter freestyle relay (WR-3:23.05), bronze in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, finished sixth in the 100-meter freestyle, and eighth in the 50-meter freestyle.
Duel in the Pool (SCM) - Indianapolis, Indiana
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Won gold in the 100-meter freestyle (AR-51.69) and 4x100-meter medley relay (WR-3:45.20), and silver in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.
Stanford Women’s Swimming
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Seven-time All-America, PAC-12 Swimming Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, Scholar All-America first team.
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Earned 4 NCAA Title: 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle** (46.09), 4x100-yard freestyle relay, and 4x100-yard medley relay.
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The women’s 100-yard freestyle final marked the first time in NCAA history that 3 women of color swept the podium: 2nd Lia Neal, 3rd Natalie Hinds.
**NCAA and American Record
WR - World Record
AR - American Record
SCM - Short Course Meters
2014
Pan Pacific Championships - Gold Coast, Australia
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Three-time medalist earning silver in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay and 4x100-meter medley relay, bronze in the 100-meter freestyle. She finished fourth in the 50-meter freestyle.
U.S. National Championships - Irvine, California
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Simone placed first in the 50-meter freestyle breaking the 17-18 National Age Group record with a time of 24.56, second in the 100-meter freestyle, and 7th in the 200-meter freestyle.
NASA Junior National Championships - Clearwater, Florida
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Simone broke her first American Record in the 100-yard freestyle twice in one day with a time of 46.83 and 46.75.
2013
World Championships - Barcelona, Spain
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Won gold in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay and finished seventh in the 50-meter freestyle with a lifetime best and 15-16 national age group record of 24.80.
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Qualified for the World Championships with a second-place finish in the 50-meter freestyle and a third-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle at U.S. National Championships.
Duel in the Pool (SCM) - Glasgow, Scotland
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Finished first in the 100-meter freestyle, third in the 50-meter freestyle, second in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, and first in the tie-breaking 200-meter mixed medley relay that sealed the victory for Team USA and broke a world record in the process with a time of 1:37.17.
SCM - Short Course Meters
2012
U.S. Olympic Trials - Omaha, Nebraska
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Finished 17th in the 100-meter freestyle, tied for 20th in the 50-meter freestyle, and placed 50th in the 200-meter freestyle as a 15-year-old.
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Based on her performances at Olympic Trials, Simone qualified for the Junior Pan Pacific team where she earned gold in the 100-meter freestyle.