(Bloomberg View) — Three college athletes made history this weekend when they became the first African-Americans to sweep a swimming event at the NCAA Women’s Division I Championship. 
Stanford’s Simone Manuel and Lia Neal took first and second, respectively, in the 100-yard freestyle, while the University of Florida’s Natalie Hinds took third. Manuel, a freshman, set the American and NCAA championship records with a time of 46.09.
Manuel and Neal, an Olympic bronze medalist from the London 2012 games, also placed first as part of the 400-yard free relay team for Stanford. Manuel anchored and set an American and NCAA record with a time of 45.79 for the leg.
None of the three women were thinking about the historical nature of their feat, but observers almost immediately recognized the significance of the moment. Swimming is a sport dominated by white athletes, with a diversity problem bolstered by antiquated notions about black bodies. The idea that black people are in some way physically incapable of being good swimmers —  perhaps “because they don’t have the buoyancy,” as former Los Angeles Dodgers Vice President Al Campanis famously said — has persisted in the minds of many Americans.
Pioneers such as Manuel, Neal, Hinds and male Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones help to dispel those ideas that black people aren’t suited for swimming. They will help inspire the next generation of successful black swimmers who increasingly realize that the water can be a path to a college scholarship and further greatness.
“In a culture that still believes that swimming is something ‘We don’t do,’ this shows the perseverance and dedication that these ladies have put forth to all be on the podium,” Cullen told USA Swimming. “My hope is that this starts to change our culture’s perception and is only the beginning.”
