Olympic and World Champion Simone Manuel has been a professional for over a year, and we’re starting to see her career take off. In the last eleven months she’s partnered with big brands: Coca Cola, Nike, Toyota. Simone was recently in a major marketing campaign for Nike that was surprisingly non-swimming related. It was for the women’s World Cup. Simone’s already an Olympic icon from 2016, but I see her star continuing to rise with great performances this year and in 2020.
2019 World Championship Predictions:
After getting second to Cate Campbell in the 50-100 free at the 2018 Pan Pacs, I see Simone bouncing back this year. I think Simone tops Cate Campbell and Sarah Sjostrom in both the 50 and 100 free. I see a 23.89 50 meter free and a 51.9 100 meter free. I’m banking on Simone’s experience as a big meet swimmer to be her edge. But who cares what I think! What do you think?
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She’ll have a tough field to face in both races. Well, the good thing is she seems to be working hard and moving in the right direction. Though she doesn’t have top 5 rankings this season yet, I see something big at Worlds.
I don’t think Manuel will be close in the 50, relatively speaking. 100 could come down to the better tactics and race plan, and in form she has a shot there. Campbell is a chronical underachiever and Sjostrom has not been that good in the 100s this season, again relatively speaking.
People always doubt Simone but she always comes through when it counts the most because she doesn’t doubt herself.
Yes, but some of Simone’s comments are a little off putting if she seeks to inspire. At 3:12 mark of video, she says, “It’s such a honor to represent (sponsors) brand, but it’s also such an honor for them to support me on my Olympic journey and beyond.”
Say what??!!
Oh, we forgot, it’s “the beauty” of your “story and personality” as you said earlier.
Simone’s been active in learn to swim, and she wasn’t paid….and she socially conscious. That’s not always reported widely. She’s speaking from that point of view. I should’ve added context there in the video…. A lot of Olympic champions have careers that span a lifetime in the nonprofit world. Sponsorships are big during your career, and into the next 4-8 years (maybe longer depending on the athlete) after retirement, but Olympians appreciate their charitable endeavors for decades. Working with nonprofits is the fun side, the feel-good part of the whole experience.
She has never been sub 52 before or even that close really. She was sub 24 once? Seem like big time drops. Would love to see her getting faster maybe now that she is pro she has more resources to devote to this goal.
Will need to be faster than 23.89 to win gold.
She has shown time and time again she is a big meet swimmer. From her starting in the 2016, to beat Abby Weitzel and then winning the gold medal to beat Campbells and Sjostrom. You can always count on her to step up on the big stage, she literally dominated the college 100 free at NCAAs 45.5 insane. Honestly, she is very consistent at big meets. I see a 51.8 for sure maybe even a little more. We could have 3 51’s, but I see Simone on top.
At two Pan Pacs, she has never managed better than an individual silver. Maybe Pan Pacs is just not big enough for Simone?
Last year she won two individual silvers which is better than an individual silver.
Idk, Cate seems to be in really good form and she doesn’t falter at world’s, Sjostroms still here and theirs always the young blo…
Oh what the heck we’ve said this before go Simone
She faltered in 2015 to her sister…i believe she got broze in the 100 and was left off the podium in the 50…then 2016 happened and she wasnt there in 2017. She has a issue in big meets
Campbell and Sjostrom – Manuel’s time has passed.