Shock Upset: Simone Manuel Misses Out on 50-Meter Freestyle Qualification for Team USA

NANTERRE, France — The American swim team faced another setback at the Paris Olympics on Saturday. Simone Manuel, expected to be a formidable contender, failed to advance in the 50-meter freestyle.

Posting the 18th-fastest time at 24.87 seconds, Manuel was unable to secure a spot in the semifinals. She was 0.15 seconds short of the top 16 and 1.02 seconds behind Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström, the fastest qualifier.

Manuel, the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming, stormed off the deck, refusing to speak to reporters. Her disappointment was evident.

This event adds to a series of underwhelming performances by the U.S. swim team. Despite securing 21 medals, only four have been gold, which falls short of expectations for the traditionally dominant swim nation.

Caeleb Dressel, a star from the Tokyo Olympics, was eliminated in the semifinals of the 100-meter butterfly. The emotional toll was visible as he broke down in tears.

Ryan Murphy, a backstroke veteran, managed a bronze in the 100-meter backstroke but failed to reach the finals in the 200-meter event. His goal to reclaim titles from the Rio 2016 Games remains unfulfilled.