Simone Manuel will go for gold in the 50-meter freestyle at a third straight Olympics in Paris after snatching victory at the U.S. swimming trials by two-hundredths of a second on Sunday.
Manuel, who won 100-meter freestyle gold and 50 free silver at the Rio Olympics but struggled through a disappointing Tokyo campaign as she battled the effects of over-training syndrome, clocked 24.13 seconds to edge Gretchen Walsh, the top seed going into the final who had opened her trials with a world record in the 100 butterfly.
As she checked the scoreboard, Manuel shook her head and smiled while the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium — home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts — erupted in cheers.