Simone Manuel is channeling her inner Simone Biles as Paris draws closer. Biles’ namesake is an accomplished swimmer specializing in the freestyle discipline. Competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Manuel clinched two gold medals, emerging as a dominant force in the realm of swimming. However, her form dipped a little by the time she reached the Tokyo Olympics. Grinding hard in the water, Simone Manuel salvaged a bronze in the 4x100m freestyle, bringing her Olympic medals tally to three.

Apart from these accomplishments, Manuel also has 11 World Championships gold medals. However, it is her recent success in the US Olympic trials that has put the spotlight back on her once again. Manuel now has the chance to achieve a double victory if she manages to win both her individual and team gold in Paris. While speaking about her achievement, Manuel referred to her old friend Simone Biles for inspiration.

Simone Manuel mentions Biles after third Olympic qualification

Simone Manuel has already qualified for the Paris Olympics. Clocking a time of 53.25 seconds in the 100m relay, Manuel clinched fourth place to secure her spot in Paris. Her Paris trip just got better, as she competed in the 50m freestyle event and clocked a stupendous time of 24.13 seconds to win. Soon after her stunning feat, Manuel appeared for a poolside interview where she mentioned Simone Biles as the entire arena burst into applause. She said, “I put in a lot of work to get to this point… I spent a lot of time watching races where I won… I really wanted to channel that Simone because I know I’m a winner… And that’s what I did tonight.”

Well, for the uninitiated, the mention of the US gymnastics queen did not come out of the blue. The duo has a long history of friendship where Manuel had Biles’ back in her dark times. Back in 2021, Simone Biles was going through a tumultuous time.

Her decision to withdraw had everyone criticizing her brutally. It was then that Simone Manuel came to her rescue. Asking the media to refrain from interviewing struggling athletes, she said, “Please stop interviewing athletes right after a disappointing performance before they have any time to process anything. Trust me. They gave it their all. Nothing else people need to know at that time.” And well, Manuel and Biles share another similarity.

Both Simones advocate for mental health while triumphing through adversities

Simone Manuel’s qualification for Paris is significant in more than one way. Manuel suffered from acute overtraining syndrome, which cost her an individual berth at Tokyo. She also detailed how the syndrome led to depression and insomnia. To rise from these gloomy depths to the shining lights of glory is a huge achievement for Simone Manuel.

This is where Manuel draws a parallel between her and Biles, considering Biles’ phoenix-like rise after her Tokyo debacle. Commenting on the matter, Manuel stated, “Simone Biles and me are practically the same person… We are both excited to be here and now we are both taking gold medals home.” And while the gymnastics trials are a few days away, fans are already rooting for both Simones to bring the golden glory to the USA. Whether it happens or not is a question for the future to answer.