Rio Olympics 2016: Simone Manuel becomes first black woman to win gold as she shares top step with Penny Oleksiak
SIMONE MANUEL created history on Thursday night by becoming the first black woman ever to win Olympic swimming gold.
The American shared the top step of the podium with Canadian teenager Penny Oleksiak after their dead-heat in the 100m freestyle final as both women clocked a time of 52.70 seconds.
Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom, the Olympic 100m butterfly champion, took the bronze in 52.99.
It was the second time that the women's 100 freestyle had ended in such a fashion after the 1984 final in Los Angeles saw a tie between Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer in 55.92 seconds.
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That was the first double gold in Olympic swimming and it came after the timing was reduced from a thousandth of a second to a hundredth following a controversial dead-heat in the 1972 men's 400 individual medley.
Sweden's Gunnar Larsson was awarded the gold ahead of Tim McKee of the US.
At the 2000 Sydney Games, another 21.98 second dead-heat saw Anthony Ervin of the United States and team mate Gary Hall Jr each awarded the 50m freestyle gold.
"It's amazing to tie for gold. I never thought I'd win. She deserves it as much as me," said Oleksiak, still only 16, who was only seventh at the turn but powered back on the final 50 metres.
She has now collected four medals from Rio, winning a 4x100 freestyle bronze on the opening day of the competition, followed by a 100m butterfly silver and another bronze in the 4x200 freestyle.
Manuel said her first gold, at her first Olympics, was just as surprising and there was an added bonus in setting an American record.
There was disappointment for Australia's Campbell sisters with world champion Bronte finishing fourth and world record holder Cate, leading in world record time at the turn but fading at the finish to sixth.
London Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands finished fifth.