How Stereotypes Slow Athletes Down

When Simone Manuel received the gold for the women’s 100-meter freestyle swim at the Rio Olympics in early August, the win represented more than just the culmination of Manuel’s many years of training and a victory for her country. It was a triumph over long-held racist stereotypes that black people are poor swimmers. Manuel was the first African-American woman in history to win an Olympic gold for swimming.

“It is something I’ve definitely struggled with a lot,” Manuel told . “Coming into the race, I tried to take weight of the black community off my shoulders,” she said. “The title of black swimmer suggests that I am not supposed to win golds or break records.” For Manuel, and the hundreds of other athletes who are minorities.