1B - August 24, 2016 www.charlestonchronicle.net SECTION B The Chronicle SPORTS WEEKLY OLYMPICS REVIEW Black Athletes, Many Medals at Rio Olympics

Black athletes in the Rio Olympics from left-to-right: Simone Biles, Allyson Felix, Michelle Carter, LaShawn Merritt and Ibtihaj Muhammad (AP) The 2016 Olympics has been maican sensation Elaine Thomp- Stanford swimmer Simone He is the first American to win Africa not only won the gold Christian Taylor defended his nothing short of historic for son in the 100m and 200m dash. Manuel earned two gold and the senior men’s foil world cham- medal for the 400m, but also gold medal in the triple jump and Black Americans. Not only are Bowie earned a silver medal in two silver medals. Manuel is the pionship. broke Michael Johnson’s world now has two gold medals in the there Black athletes in sports the 100m and bronze in the first African-American woman to Venus Williams participated in record with a 43.03-second per- event. His teammate Will Claye that are predominantly white, 200m. During her time at the medal in the 100m freestyle; she the mixed doubles tennis compe- formance. His mother, a stand- earned silver. Taylor won gold in they are excelling and taking University of Southern Missis- earned gold in that event. tition alongside Rajeev Ram. out runner in the 1980s and the 2015 World Championships home medals in those competi- sippi, Bowie became the Indoor Manuel also earned gold in the They went on a run that led to 1990s, could not compete in the and was a 10-time NCAA All- tions. Their international, and Outdoor NCAA National 4x100m medley relay. The Texas the gold medal match against Olympics due to sanctions American. Claye was also the record-breaking success comes Champion. She made a school native earned silver in the 50m Americans Bethanie Mattek- against apartheid South Africa. SEC men’s Field Athlete of the at a time when Black bodies have record jump of 21’4.75” during her freestyle and the 4x100m Sands and Jack Sock. Williams USA Women’s gymnastics Year and the NCAA Outdoor little value in America. These junior year. freestyle relay. and Ram earned silver after dominated with the help of Si- Champions in 2009. Claye pro- athletes broke Olympic bound- Fencer Daryl Homer repre- Allyson Felix earned a silver being upset by the duo. Williams mone Biles. Her electric run in posed to American hurdler aries. sented America in individual medal in the 400m at 49.51s after has earned four gold medals in the individual all-around earned Queen Harrison briefly after The United States dominated sabre category and became the Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas her career. her a gold medal. Biles will leave earning silver in the triple jump. the women’s 100m hurdles. All first American to win silver in 112 dived over the finish line. Felix, a LaShawn Merritt earned a Rio with four gold medals and a The Olympics wrapped up with three American runners earned a years. The U.S. has not received Los Angeles native, is the most bronze medal for the 400m dash. bronze. Claressa Shields becoming the medal: Brianna Rollins earned a medal in the competition since decorated American woman in At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Gabby Douglas returned to first U.S. boxer to win back-to- gold at 12.48 seconds, Nia Ali Peter Westbrook won bronze Olympic track and field history he won gold for the 400m and Olympic-level gymnastics, help- back Olympic gold medals, de- with silver at 12.59 seconds and during the 1984 Los Angeles with seven career Olympic the 4x400m events. Merritt is ing the ‘Final Five’ win the team feating the Netherlands' Kristi Castlin with bronze at Olympics. Homer also com- medals. the four-time Outdoor 4x400m all-around. She participated in Nouchka Fontijn and Ashleigh 12.61 seconds. Rollins and peted in the London Olympics; Justin Gatlin battled against gold medalist in the World the uneven bars, earning a 15.766. Johnson winning a gold medal Castlin have the same track he became the first American track superstar Usain Bolt to re- Championships and also a three- Douglas has three career gold with the Women’s USA water coach, both of them using the man to earn a medal in sabre at gain his title “fastest man in the time USA Track and Field Out- medals, she also won a team gold polo teams defeating Italy. technique of crouching down the senior world championships. world” in the 100m dash. Al- door Champion. medal in the 2015 world champi- when jumping over hurdles. Ali With a 27’6” leap, Jeff Hender- though he could not outrun Bolt Wayde van Niekerk of South onships. attended USC and was the son won gold in the long jump. (9.81s), Gatlin came in at 9.89s USA Indoor 60mH champion This was the first time American and earned silver for the United in 2014. This was the first time earned a gold medal in the event States. Team USA swept in the 100m since 2004. Henderson dedi- Ibtihaj Muhammad became the hurdles. cated the gold to his mother who first American to compete and Michelle Carter brought Amer- suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. the first American woman to ica its first gold medal in shot His coach is Al Joyner, the hus- earn a medal while wearing a put. She threw 20.63m, outlast- band of late track star Florence hijab. Muhammad earned a ing the reigning shot put gold Griffith Joyner. bronze medal in the women’s medalist Valerie Adams of New Sprinter Dalilah Muhammad team sabre. The New Jersey na- Zealand. The USA has not re- mastered the 400m hurdles, tive attended Duke University ceived a medal for this event coming in first place in the final and was a NCAA three-time All- since 1960. Also known as the at 53.13 seconds. During the American. shot diva, Carter received a Olympic trials in Eugene, Ore- Fencer Miles Chamley-Watson bronze medal in the 2015 World gan, Muhammad had a final earned a bronze medal in the Championships. record of 52.88 seconds that was men’s team foil competition in Tori Bowie has earned two the first time a runner finished his second Olympics. Chamley- medals during her Olympic the event in under 53 seconds Watson won a gold and silver debut. She competed against Ja- since 2013. world championship title in 2013.

Rio Olympian Simone Biles (AP photo)

United Statesʼ Jeff Henderson competes in the menʼs long jump final during the ath- letics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)AP

(l-r): English Gardner, Allyson Felix, Tianna Bartoletta, and Tori Bowie of the U.S. cel- ebrate their win. The U.S. womenʼs 4 x 100-meter relay team on Friday won its second straight gold medal, a day after almost missing qualifying for the final. The victory gave Allyson Felix a record fifth gold medal, the most ever by a woman in track and field.