The title 'black swimmer' makes it seem like I am not supposed

The words of Simone Manuel—“The title ‘black swimmer’ makes it seem like I am not supposed to be able to win a gold medal, I am not supposed to be able to break the Olympic record, and that is not true, as I work as hard as anybody else, and I love the sport, and I want to win, just like everybody else.”—resound as both defiance and declaration. They are the voice of one who has labored against the tides not only of water, but of history and expectation. Her truth pierces through labels, revealing the eternal lesson that human worth and achievement cannot be bound by the chains of stereotype.

When she speaks of the title “black swimmer,” she unmasks the hidden burden of being placed into a box before the race has even begun. For centuries, society’s whispered doubts and proclaimed prejudices told certain people where they did not belong, what they could not do, and who they could not become. Yet Simone proclaims that the water has no color, that the lane does not ask for race, only for strength, discipline, and love for the sport. Her words echo the wisdom of the ancients: that destiny is not written in the eyes of others, but in the courage of the one who dares.

History gives us many who shattered such illusions. Jesse Owens, in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, ran before the sneering eyes of Hitler’s Germany. They believed his race disqualified him from greatness, that his body could not rise to triumph. Yet with each sprint, Owens struck down the lies of prejudice, returning home with four gold medals and proving to the world that excellence bows to no label. Simone Manuel stands in that same lineage of heroes—those who answered history’s scorn not with complaint, but with victory.

The meaning of her words is layered with both pain and power. Pain, because to be called “black swimmer” is to be reminded that many view her not first as an athlete, but as an exception to a false rule. Power, because she refuses to surrender to that label, choosing instead to assert her humanity: “I work as hard as anybody else, and I love the sport.” These are the marks of a true champion, not bound by identity imposed from without, but defined by passion and perseverance within.

Her declaration also carries a lesson for all: do not let the names others give you limit the victories you are capable of achieving. The gold medal does not ask where you come from, nor does the record book ask your lineage. What matters is the labor of the body, the fire of the spirit, and the will to endure. Labels may be placed upon you, but they cannot swim for you, they cannot run for you, they cannot silence the heart that longs to soar.

For us, the teaching is clear: never accept the low expectations placed upon you by others. If you are told you do not belong, prove by your excellence that you do. If you are told your kind has not done it before, become the first. Do not let labels define you—let your love for your craft, your relentless work, and your victories define you. Just as Simone embraced the water with joy and purpose, so too must we embrace our chosen path with faith and determination.

The practical action is this: work with discipline, fight with courage, and rise above the labels others place upon you. Surround yourself with those who see your potential, not your supposed limitations. And when you achieve your triumphs, do not hoard them for yourself—speak them aloud, as Simone did, so that others may hear and believe that barriers can be broken. For each victory achieved by one becomes a torch of hope for many.

Thus let us pass down this wisdom: labels are shadows, but effort and love are light. To transcend the false boundaries of the world is to live as hero and teacher. Simone Manuel’s words remind us that greatness is never confined to race, gender, or circumstance—it is born of the human spirit’s refusal to bow to limitation. And this, above all, is the lesson for future generations: walk into the waters of life unafraid, and show the world that you, too, were always meant to win.