Canada’s Penny Oleksiak and Simone Manuel of the United States dead-heated for the 100 metres Olympic swimming freestyle gold on Thursday for the first time since the 1984 Olympic games when American swimmers Nancy Hogshead and Carrier Steinseifer both won the gold.
Consequently there was one bronze medallist, Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, two gold medallists and no silver medallist.
An Olympic debut for Oleksiak and Manuel, both the swimmers touched the wall in 52.70 seconds.
Setting a new Olympic record in the women’s 100-metre freestyle, Simone Manuel became the first African American woman to earn a medal in an individual event in swimming.
There was disappointment for Australia’s Campbell sisters with world champion Bronte finishing fourth and world record holder Cate, leading in world record time at the turn, fading at the finish to sixth.
(With Reuters inputs)
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