The Summer Olympics, held in Rio De Janeiro, have come to a close. The best athletes in the world competed for gold, silver, or bronze in their respective sports. It is awesome to conclude that the African diaspora came through for the wins. Black athletes from across globe did not hold back the magic. Social media was buzzing with speculation that the athletes must have held a secret meeting and conspired to medal in every event. Champion swimmers, track and field stars, gymnasts, basketball players, and even fencers claimed a space in Black History. In a white-dominated sport, Simone Manuel became the first Black woman to win an individual swimming medal in the women’s 100-meter freestyle. She triumphed with a gold medal and an Olympic record time of 52.70 seconds. Rafaela Silva, Team Brazil, won the gold gold medal in 57-kilogram division for women’s judo. She was also Brazil’s first athlete to claim a gold medal in the Rio Olympics. California-native Michelle Carter made history as the first American woman to win the gold medal in shot put. Carter’s father competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and placed silver in the men’s competition. She beat her father’s record in Rio. Silva triumphed though poverty and combatting heavy racism in an “anti-Black” Brazil. Almaz Ayana, who represents Ethiopia, finished the race in Olympic record time and took the gold in the women’s 10,000-meter race. Ayana broke two records during one match. Representing Team USA in fencing, Daryle Homer won silver in men’s individual sabre. This monumental win made him the first American and African-America to medal in the sport in 112 years. Homer is now ranked as 2nd in the United States and 8th in the world for competitive Sabre Fencing. Track and field superstar, Usain Bolt, did not disappoint. The Fastest Man Alive ran away with 3 gold medals this Olympic season: Men’s 4x100m Relay, Men’s 200m, and Men’s 100m. Bolt announced in an interview that this year’s Olympics will be his last. Dubbed the “Fasted Woman in the World”, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson took home the gold in the women’s 100m match. Thompson claimed medal with a .25 second lead ahead of the previous two-time champion,
Shelly-Ann Fraser Price. Competing in hurdles for Team USA, Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali, and Kristi Castlin were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively. This epic win is a first for Black women around the world. Decorated Olympic runner for the United States, Allyson Felix, set a world record. Felix also earned her sixth gold medal in track and field. Dalilah Muhammad made history as the first U.S. woman to win the gold medal in the Women’s 400m hurdles. America’s newest sweetheart is 19-year-old Simone Biles. Biles competed and became the world’s greatest gymnast. She was awarded gold medals in women’s vault, women’s team all-around, women’s floor exercise, women’s individual all-around, and bronze in women’s beam. The 2016 Summer Olympics was definitely a sporting event for the Black history books. The African diaspora was phenomenal, and the future looks bright for the 2020 Olympic Games schedule to be held in Japan.
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Obstacles crossed. Barriers broken. Records set.
August 30, 2016
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