U.S. Olympic swimmer Simone Manuel released a statement Saturday saying she “gave it her all” after failing to qualify for the women’s 50-meter freestyle final by finishing tied-11th in the semifinal heats.
“No doubt I’ll remember this point in my career forever. Not the fact that I didn’t make the Olympic final or come home with an individual medal, but the fact that I gave it my all,” Manuel said on Twitter.
“I’m a champion! Not because of the medals I’ve won but because of how I’ve consistently fought for what I believe in, my perseverance, and my fiery passion to always be me! I’m proud of Simone, the 2X Olympian/5X Olympic medalist, but most importantly I’m proud to just be ME,” the statement added.
Manuel won two gold and two silver medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics: gold in the 100-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter medley, and silver in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.
She was the first African American woman to ever win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming.
In June, leading up to the Tokyo Games, she released a statement revealing she had been diagnosed with overtraining syndrome and extreme fatigue. She has also been openly battling depression and insomnia, which she said caused her to step back from her normal training routine.