In 1988 at Seoul, Suriname’s Anthony Nesty became the first and only black male swimmer to win Olympic gold, besting the seemingly unbeatable American Matt Biondi in the 100m fly.
It was no fluke, Nesty remained unbeaten in the event for the next three years.
Yesterday in Rio, 28 years later, American Simone Manuel became the first black woman to win Olympic gold when she tied with Canadian Penny Oleksiak in the 100m freestyle in 52.70.
And in the process the two girls beat the two Aussie Campbell sisters – Cate the world record holder into sixth place, and Bronte the world champion into fourth.
It was the swimming shock of the Games.
Cate was in control for 75m, with Bronte right in the mix.
But in the final 25m, Manual, Oleksiak, and Sweden’s bronze medallist Sarah Sjostrom (52.99) leaped out of the water.
Bronte’s time of 53.04 was outside her best time a month ago of 52.58.
Cate’s world record 52.06 a month ago was a whole lot faster than yesterday’s 53.24.
It just goes to prove the Olympics can be so unforgiving. Swimmers train so hard for four solid years, and their dreams can be shattered inside a minute.
On the other side of the competitive coin, Simone Manual and Penny Oleksiak both turned in PBs with 52.70 and gold.
In 31 Olympics, it’s certainly a milestone that only two black swimmers have won individual Olympic gold.
Switch that to the track in the sprints, and rarely does a white man win gold.
But back to the pool, where the undisputed greatest swimmer of all-time Michael Phelps cracked his Olympic career 22nd gold medal, and tonight is favoured to win his 23rd.
At 31 years of age, there seems no end to what Phelps can achieve.
He made a pertinent point yesterday, saying he feels as though he’s about to retire on his own terms.
He added he felt he had unfinished business after the 2012 London Games, and that proved to be right on the money.
It’s interesting to compare the Phels of today with the Phelpsof revious Games.
Through 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, and 2012 London, despite his huge successes, he was humble and unassuming.
He’s not this time around.
Everyone at the pool and most of the millions watching on television knew he was about to become the first Olympian to win the same event four times – in this case the 200m IM.
Indeed he did win, but the Phelps of yesteryear wouldn’t have kept waving four fingers at the crowd to prove his point.
Nobody will ever break Michael Phelps medal haul, and it’s to be hoped he retires with his normal nature intact, and the four fingers was just a one-off brain explosion.
As Cate Cambell said yesterday, despite being gutted beyond comprehension – “I want to thank all those who have supported me for so long, I hope you still love me”.
That’s the difference.
LeBron James is going back to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. Steph Curry is headed to the games for the…
Olyroos coach Tony Vidmar is refusing to put a line through Nestory Irankunda's hopes of playing at the Paris Olympics after claiming he is…
The 2023-24 NBA season promised so much for the Australian contingent - for a few it’s been the ideal runway to the Paris Olympics…
Basketball superstar Lauren Jackson has been included in the extended Opals squad for the Paris Olympics, despite announcing her retirement from the international scene.…
The Brisbane Olympics stadiums fiasco has had wild twists and turns in just the last few days, but we still might not have seen…
Olympic swimming legend and Australian Sports Commission boss Kieren Perkins has warned that "someone will die" if a multi-sport event that allows athletes to…
