Ban on 'Soul Cap' spotlights lack of diversity in swimming
On social media and in Black swimming circles, the outcry was swift and the conversation went on for days. A Change.org petition was launched and Dearing, an ambassador for the cap and co-founder of the Black Swimming Association, openly expressed disappointment. For people of color, this was so much more than a ban on a swimming cap. “Due to the discriminatory and segregated past of swimming, Black families have been taught to fear swimming instead of embrace it,” Cargill said. FINA is now in talks with Soul Cap and said in a statement it will review the application again later this year.
wftv.comTrying Olympic year ends in disappointment for Simone Manuel
Tokyo Olympics Swimming Simone Manuel, of United States, leaves the pool after a women's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 31, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David Goldman) (David Goldman)TOKYO — (AP) — A most trying Olympic year for Simone Manuel came to a disappointing end. She didn't qualify at the Olympic trials in the 100 free and wasn't able to defend her historic title won five years ago at the Rio de Janeiro Games. Outside of the pool, Manuel has focused on trying to help the predominantly white sport become more racially inclusive. What I do know is that I’m a fighter.”___More AP Olympic coverage: https://www.apnews.com/OlympicGames and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.
wftv.comSwimming wraps up with Dressel going for another gold medal
Dressel is a gold medal favorite in the men’s 50-meter freestyle and is the two-time reigning world champion. The U.S. is also expected to contend for the gold medal in the men’s and women’s 4x100m medley relay. Here are some things to watch (all times Eastern):SWIMMINGThe final day of swimming is a big one for Caeleb Dressel. He’ll go for two more gold medals in his sights in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4x100-meter medley relay. They would not meet until the gold medal match.
wftv.comUS star Manuel returns to pool for 50 free after long layoff
Tokyo Olympics Swimming Simone Manuel, of United States, swims in a women's 50-meter freestyle heat at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) (Gregory Bull)TOKYO — (AP) — After an Olympics with plenty of free time, Simone Manuel finally got back to racing Friday night. The frenzied dash from one end of the pool to the other is the American swimmer's only individual event in Tokyo. After setting an Olympic record in the semifinals of the 100 butterfly during the morning session, he returned to the pool to post the top time in the preliminaries of the 50 free. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and his work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP Olympic coverage: https://www.apnews.com/OlympicGames and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.
wftv.comWhat a comeback: Manuel wins at trials, Adrian falls short
APTOPIX US Swimming Olympic Trials Simone Manuel and Abbey Weitzeil hug after the women's 50 freestyle during wave 2 of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials on Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Omaha, Neb. Days after revealing she was diagnosed with overtraining syndrome, Manuel brought the crowd to its feet on the final night of the U.S. Olympic swimming trials with a thrilling victory in the 50-meter freestyle Sunday. While Manuel earned a trip to Tokyo, Nathan Adrian's bid for a fourth Olympics came up short when he finished third in the men's 50 free. The two shortest races of the trials were followed by the final event of the eight-day meet, the men's 1,500 free. ___Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and his work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP Olympic coverage: https://www.apnews.com/OlympicGames and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.
wftv.comManuel reveals burnout diagnosis after loss at swim trials
US Swimming Olympic Trials Simone Manuel is seen before the women's 100 freestyle during wave 2 of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials on Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Omaha, Neb. Her voice broke as she revealed the heartbreaking reason behind her failure to advance in the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials. At first, Manuel modified her training at Stanford for two weeks. Finally, Manuel was forced to stop training and stay out of the pool for three weeks as a way to let her body rest. “This isn’t the last time I’m going to do something great in the pool.
wftv.comDressel wins, but Manuel fails to advance in swim stunner
APTOPIX US Swimming Olympic Trials Caeleb Dressel reacts after winning the men's 100 freestyle during wave 2 of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials on Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Omaha, Neb. There were no such concerns for Dressel, who romped to victory in the men's 100 free in 47.39. “I'm focused on qualifying right now.”In the women's 100 free semifinals, Natalie Hinds and Olivia Smoliga were the top qualifiers in 53.55. Manuel's failure to make it to the 100 free final means she won't be in the mix for the relays, either. Ross Dant just missed an Olympic spot, finishing a mere 72-hundredths behind Brinegar in a thrilling finish.
wftv.comHow USWNT star Alex Morgan and other women Olympians are fighting for equal coverage in sports media
Women account for 40% of all sports participants, yet receive just 4% of sports media coverage outside of major sporting events like the Olympics, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This lack of coverage not only leads to less gender representation on screen, but it also impacts the sponsorship, endorsements and exposure that female athletes are afforded throughout their career. "I realized that there's not nearly enough media coverage for female athletes in relation to the amount of female athletes who participate in sports," she tells CNBC Make It. TOGETHXR, which launched on March 2, will include short-form documentary style series, longer form documentaries and eventually podcasts, Morgan says. "It's all going to be based around sports loosely, but we want to also include lifestyle, culture and fashion [content]," Morgan says.
cnbc.comSimone says: Olympic champ pushes for change in, out of pool
Outside of it, the Olympic champion is pushing herself in a new endeavor to boost the profile of women’s sports. AdShe’s aiming to defend her 100 free title at the Tokyo Olympics, delayed for a year by the coronavirus pandemic. When Stanford closed its facilities last March, Manuel and training partner Katie Ledecky found a backyard pool to work out in. He failed to make it out of the preliminaries, finishing 32nd in the 100 free and 25th in the 100 breaststroke. Blake Pieroni won the men’s 100 free in 49.19 seconds.
P&G extends Olympic sponsorship, focusing on equality drive
FILE - In this March 30, 2020, file photo, a man jogs past the Olympic rings in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)LONDON Procter & Gamble will use its Olympic and Paralympic sponsorship to campaign for racial equality after extending its backing of the games through 2028. We want to now extend that to be both a force for growth and a force for good for the next eight years.The Tokyo Olympics are now a year away after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gestures such as taking a knee or raising a fist on a medal podium remain prohibited by the International Olympic Committee. Thats a big discussion the IOC is now having with the athletes, which I think is quite appropriate, Pritchard said.