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Back to To the Point

To the Point

America's swimmers steal the spotlight in Rio

There’s a consensus among sports historians that the world has never seen an athlete like Michael Phelps…going all the way back to the Olympiad of Ancient Greece.  Last night, at the age of 31, he won his 13th Gold Medal in spectacular fashion — during his fifth Olympics.  That’s not to take the spotlight off Simone Manuel, the first…

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By Warren Olney • Aug 12, 2016 • 1 min read

There’s a consensus among sports historians that the world has never seen an athlete like Michael Phelps…going all the way back to the Olympiad of Ancient Greece. Last night, at the age of 31, he won his 13th Gold Medal in spectacular fashion — during his fifth Olympics.

That’s not to take the spotlight off Simone Manuel, the first black woman American swimmer to win Gold -- while setting an Olympic record. Mel Stewart, who was called "Gold Medal Mel" as a two-time Olympic champion in 1992, is founder of the sport's leading news website, Swim Swam. Steward has more on the two Americans who made history of a special kind last night in Rio.

American Swimmers Michael Phelps and Simone Manuel

react after their Gold Medal wins yesterday in Rio.

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

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    Paul von Zielbauer

    Co-founder of Geezer magazine, former producer for To the Point and Which Way LA?; former reporter for the New York Times

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    Andrea Brody

    Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

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    Mel Stewart

    Swim Swam

    NewsNationalPolitics
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