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Simone Manuel Named To Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports Class of 2022

Five-time Olympic medalist Simone Manuel has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2022 in the sports category, a list created annually to identify young, prominent figures across 20 different industries.

Forbes describes the 2022 list as having significantly changed from when it was first created in 2012.

“All of the honorees in the Forbes Under 30 Class of 2022 have defied the odds: navigating a global pandemic, supply chain crunches and isolation to build ventures that are resilient and destined to change the world,” Forbes says.

Manuel, 25, won an Olympic bronze medal this summer at the Tokyo Olympic Games in the women’s 400 freestyle relay, and also placed 11th in the 50 free.

After a relatively disappointing Olympic Trials performance that included her failing to earn an opportunity to defend her 2016 Olympic title in the women’s 100 free, Manuel revealed that she had been dealing with overtraining syndrome in the lead-up.

Five years ago in Rio, she became the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic swimming gold, tying with Canadian Penny Oleksiak in the women’s 100 free. Manuel won a total of four medals in 2016, adding a gold in the 400 medley relay and a pair of silvers in the 50 free and 400 free relay.

Manuel’s Forbes profile also mentions her women’s media company, Togethxr, and the “inclusion rider” in her contract with TYR, which was the first of its kind in pro sports. The inclusion rider was put in place in order to ensure the company extends “meaningful opportunities to traditionally underrepresented groups and that diversity be reflected in the created efforts (Simone) pursues with the brand.”

Manuel’s Forbes Profile:

Simone Manuel has won five Olympic medals, including a relay bronze in Tokyo. In 2016 in Rio, she became the first African American woman to win gold in an individual swimming event. She is one of the four athlete founders of Togethxr, a women’s media company, and has been outspoken on issues of race and inclusion, even including an “inclusion rider” in her TYR endorsement contract.

Another aquatics athlete named to the list was water polo player Ashleigh Johnson, who was the first black woman to make the U.S. Olympic water polo team.

Johnson has won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in women’s water polo, and, in 2016, the Miami native was the only non-Californian to make the team.

Johnson’s Forbes Profile:

Ashleigh Johnson, the first Black woman to make the U.S. Olympic water polo team, has won two straight Olympic gold medals and is widely considered the world’s best goalie. Dedicated to making the sport more inclusive, Johnson and her sister, Chelsea, have created a learn-to-swim course for under-resourced middle-school students in the Miami area.

You can find the full list of Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports Class of 2022 list here.

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Taa
2 years ago

I clicked on the link and I have ask if this list is suppose encompass all people in sports or just women and minorities? It looks like the committee that made up the list is trying to impress us with their wokeness. I did notice white guy who races nascar so don’t waste your time pointing him out.

Corn Pop
Reply to  Taa
2 years ago

Surely not Brandon ?

HJones
2 years ago

Congrats to Simone. An impressive young woman who has nothing to prove to anyone. Is she planning to still train at Stanford?

Ledecky will go 3:55 in Paris
2 years ago

why the downvotes?

Breezeway
2 years ago

Congrats!!!!

Just give the trophy to the condors already
2 years ago

Why

Yozhik

Because they are adults and can do whatever they want.

Coach

For one thing, despite dealing with comments like this her whole career, she still hasn’t left the sport she enjoys diong.

Last edited 2 years ago by Coach
Rando Embiggen
2 years ago

Congrats, Simone! That’s a big honor to make one of the Forbes’ lists. I love it when the media spotlighted is focused on a swimmer. Best wishes for a successful 2022 — both in the water and out.

Question: how is your media company listed in the final paragraph, Togethxr, pronounced?

Tyhht
2 years ago

I miss watching her race. She gave me so much hope

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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