The next time a friend, family member or random stranger tells me,?black?people dont swim,?I will happily and defiantly say Simone Manuels name and shut down any and all rebuttals.And the next time my brilliant and boundlessly energetic 6-year-old daughter, Zoe, asks me to take her to the pool, I will think of Manuel and smile as I imagine a future where my child could grow up and be just like the 20-year-old powerhouse.???I used to say?Zoe would be the Serena Williams of the swimming world. Now I can say?that?my Zoe will be the next Simone Manuel.?Our little one has been taking swimming lessons since the age of 3,?not long after I noticed how much she loved splashing around at pool parties and the like. She has always adored bath time, but this was something more, something special.?This is not the relationship I had with water sports as a kid. There werent an ample amount of public or private pools in my native Detroit. Couple that deficiency with the fact that an 8-year-old classmate had drowned in a pool accident and I cant say that I was exactly seeking out time in the water aside from the fire hydrant on our street or the occasional kiddie pool.?My viewpoint changed in my?20s?when I decided to take adult swim classes and overcome my fear. Ive been swimming ever since and can now count snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef for my 30th?birthday as one of the most amazing things Ive ever experienced. It also made me that much more determined to make sure my child knew how to swim. I desperately wanted her to have a sense of fearlessness in the water that I didnt have at her age.?These are the thoughts that filled my?heart and mind as I watched Manuel, a?Stanford University junior,?make history and go on to become a two-time gold and two-time silver medalist in Rio. As the first African-American?woman to win an individual gold in swimming, shes the promise of broken barriers, defied stereotypes and expedited dreams.?Manuel is an Olympic champion who looks like?me, my daughter, my nieces and?my friends. Even though there is no way in the world I will ever reach the championship heights the Texas native has in the pool,?my daughter might. In the meantime,?I can take relaxing swims and bask in the knowledge that these cool blue waters, they?welcome us all.More on Simone Manuel? Essay: Manuel inspired me to learn to swim Story ?? Manuel on life after the Olympics ?Story ?The IMPACT25 is espnWs annual list of the 25 athletes and influencers who have made the greatest difference for women in sports. Explore the 2016 list and more content at espnW.com/IMPACT25. Cheap Nike Shoes From China .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Cheap Air Max For Sale .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. http://www.cheapairmaxstore.com/ . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Air Max China . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. Wholesale Air Max From China . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Mystic Mac has gazed into his crystal ball and foreseen a second round KO of his opponent at UFC 202 in Las Vegas later this month.Conor McGregor, hell bent on redressing his shock defeat to Nate Diaz in UFC 196 in March, has reportedly left no stone unturned in his preparation for their upcoming rematch, but, at this stage, punters arent picking up what The Notorious is putting down.McGregor was made to eat his words last time, actually he was forced to choke on them, and if you believe the money trail, hes in for anotherr helping of humble pie, said UBET spokesperson Nick Curry.ddddddddddddDiaz is much more popular in terms of money held and has also attracted three times more individual bets than brash Irishman.Despite the intense interest, Diaz remains a $2.25 outsider to dispose of McGregor for a second straight time, but if you want to take Mystic Mac at his word, a McGregor - Round Two victory pays $6.50. ' ' '