Simone Manuel Eliminated From 50-Meter Freestyle

Simone Manuel, the first Black woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming, was unexpectedly eliminated from the 50-meter freestyle heats at the Paris Olympics, finishing with the 18th-fastest time of 24.87 seconds—1.02 seconds behind the fastest qualifier, Sarah Sjöström. This marks yet another disappointment for the U.S. swim team, which has struggled to meet expectations, securing only four gold medals so far, the lowest since the 1988 Seoul Games. Manuel's exit follows her ongoing recovery from overtraining syndrome, which has impacted her performance since the Tokyo Olympics. Other notable American swimmers, including Caeleb Dressel and Ryan Murphy, have also failed to advance in their respective events, leading to a collective underperformance for the team. After her race, Manuel declined to speak with reporters, indicating her frustration with the results. The American swim team is now seeking to improve their standing as the competition nears its conclusion.