10 Of The 2020 Olympics' Blackest Moments
Here’s 10 Of The 2020 Olympics’ Blackest Moments
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1. Raven Saunders

Following her second-place win at the women’s shot put tournament during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the South Carolina native raised her hands in an “X” formation in honor of oppressed people while receiving her silver award at the podium.
As a gay Black woman, Saunders said she knew far too well what it was like to be oppressed by society.
“Shout out to all my Black people, shout out to all my LBGTQ community, shout out to everybody dealing with mental health,” the silver medalist shared with reporters after her big win. “Because at the end of the day, we understand that it’s bigger than us, and it’s bigger than the powers that be,” she added.
2. Elaine Thompson-Herah

The track and field star made history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after she broke the late Florence “Flo Jo” Griffith’s record. Elaine crossed the finish line in 10.61 seconds. Joyner’s record of 10.62 had been long-standing since the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
“I think I could have gone faster if I wasn’t pointing and celebrating, really,” Thompson-Herah said after the game. “But to show you that there’s more in store. Hopefully one day I can unleash that time.”
3. Naomi Osaka

Tennis champion Naomi Osaka kicked off the Tokyo Olympics by lighting the flame of the Olympic Cauldron during the opening ceremony.
After carrying the Olympic torch, she gushed about the experience on Instagram.
“Undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honor I will ever have in my life,” she wrote. “I have no words to describe the feelings I have right now but I do know I am currently filled with gratefulness and thankfulness.”
4. Simone Biles

Despite Simone Biles’ temporary withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics this year, the record-breaking gymnast showed the world what it was like to put mental health and well-being first during the competition.
Biles who has previously won Olympic gold medals in vault, floor, Individual, and Team all-around competitions at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, withdrew from the 2020 competition briefly to tend to her mental health after she said she was suffering from a bout of the “twisties”- a term used where a gymnast loses their sense of awareness in the air. The star later returned for the individual apparatus finals where she took home bronze and a silver medal for the overall competition.
5. Simone Manuel

Manuel was the first African American woman to win a gold medal in the 100m freestyle during the 2020 Beijing Olympics.
6. Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix secured her tenth Olympic medal win during the competition after she struck bronze following the women’s 400-meter relay. Felix blazed through the track in just 49.46 seconds.
After her historic win, Felix gushed about the big news to reporters.
“Just joy,” the 35-year-old mother of one said according to Yahoo! Sports. “This one is very different, and it’s very special. And it just took a lot to get here.”
“I guess I don’t really rank [medals] but this one is just so different,” she continued. “It’s my first bronze medal and it’s just, oh man, it’s hard to describe because I feel like all the other ones I was really just so focused on the performance, and this one it just is so much bigger than that.”
7. Kevin Durant & Team USA Basketball

Brooklyn Net’s star Kevin Durant lead Team USA Basketball to victory during the 2020 Olympics. The team took home the gold medal after a slow start.
8. Athing Mu

Athing Mu won big at the Olympics this year after she took home gold in both the Women’s 4x400m relay and in the Women’s 800m competition.
9. Sydney McLaughlin

McLaughlin broke her own world record during the competition.McLaughlin posted a time of 51.46, “shaving 0.44 seconds off her own world record,” according to The New York Times. The hurdle champ was also on the 4x400m team that won gold.
10. Tamyrah Mensah-Stock

Mensah-Stock made history in Women’s Wrestling after she became the first Black woman to win gold when she defeated Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu 4-1 in the women’s 68-kilogram freestyle wrestling final. She also became the second American woman to win a gold medal in the event.
Here’s 10 Of The 2020 Olympics’ Blackest Moments was originally published on newsone.com