3 Black Women Set NCAA Women’s D1 Swimming Championship Record

As someone who was on her high school swim team, this makes me happy. Three African-American women have made NCAA history at the NCAA Women’s Division 1 Swimming Championship.

The three swimmers, Simone Manuel, Lia Neal, and Natalie Hinds, took home gold, bronze, and silver medals becoming the first black women to sweep the D1 swimming championship in the 100 yard freestyle.

Freshman phenom Simone Manuel of Stanford set an NCAA, American, U.S. Open, Championship and Pool record when she clocked a time of 46.09 in the women’s 100 yard freestyle. Manuel’s Stanford teammate Lia Neal came in second place with a time of 47.13. (Fans may recall that Neal won a bronze medal in the 4×100 free relay at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.) The University of Florida’s Natalie Hinds swam a time of 47.24. Hinds reset her own-school record in the event during competition.

Lia Neal

Natalie Hinds

Simone Manuel

Salute! Don’t believe the myth, black people do swim!