Notable Aquatic Athletes

Trailblazers and Historic Firsts

Swimmers:

•   Simone Manuel: Made global headlines at the 2016 Rio Games as the first African-American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming (100m freestyle). At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won two gold and two silver medals: gold in the 100-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter medley, and silver in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. In winning the 100-meter freestyle, a tie with Penny Oleksiak of Canada, Manuel became the first Black American woman to win an individual Olympic gold in swimming and set an Olympic record and an American record.
•   Cullen Jones: The first African-American swimmer to hold a world record, won gold as a pivotal member of the U.S. Men's 4x100m freestyle relay team. American former competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist who specialized in freestyle sprint events.
•   Maritza Correia (McClendon): In 2004, she became the first woman of African descent to make the U.S. Olympic swim team and the first to win an Olympic medal (silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay).
•   Anthony Ervin: Of African-American, Jewish, and Native American descent, he tied for gold in the 50m freestyle in 2000 and made a historic comeback to win gold again in the same event 16 years later.
•   Lia Neal: A two-time Olympian who earned a bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay in 2012 and a silver in the same event in 2016. A Brooklyn native with Afro-Asian heritage, Neal became the first biracial African-American and Asian-American woman to win Olympic swimming medals
•   Shaine Casas: A standout backstroke and butterfly swimmer who represented Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He is an American record holder in the short-course 4×50-meter medley relay, swimming the butterfly leg.
•   Torri Huske: Born and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Huske is a decorated Olympian. Her mother immigrated from Guangzhou, China. American competitive swimmer and the reigning Olympic champion in the 100-meter butterfly. She holds world records in two relays: the 4x100-meter medley and 4x100-meter mixed medley. She is the former American record holder in the 50- and 100-meter butterfly.
•   Erica Sullivan: A standout distance swimmer, Sullivan is a vocal advocate for the AAPI and LGBTQ+ communities, whose mother is of Chinese descent. She received a silver medal in the 1500-meter freestyle at the 2020 Summer Olympics after placing second and qualifying in the event at the 2020 US Olympic Swimming Trials.[2]
•   Nathan Adrian: A multi-time Olympic gold medalist, Adrian has Filipino-Chinese heritage through his mother. American competitive swimmer and five-time Olympic gold medalist who formerly held the American record in the long course 50-meter freestyle event

WATER POLO

Black Trailblazers In Water Polo Remember Their Journey: Past, Present & Future

Women's National Team

•   Ashleigh Johnson: A dominant goalkeeper and two-time Olympic gold medalist (2016, 2020) who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics. She made history in 2016 as the first African-American woman to make the U.S. Olympic water polo team.
•   Brenda Villa: Widely considered the most decorated female water polo player in U.S. history, this East Los Angeles native won four Olympic medals (one gold) and served as a crucial figure in the growth of the sport. She now works directly with USA Water Polo as an assistant coach and board member.
•   Priscilla Gomez (Orozco): A two-time NCAA Champion at UCLA, she has played for both the Mexican and USA National Teams. Gomez currently leads the women's team at Azusa Pacific University as head coach.
•   Sarah Orozco: The head coach who helped launch the first-ever women's water polo program at Biola University, actively integrating her Hispanic heritage into the team's culture.

Men's National Team

•   Max Irving: A talented attacker and two-time Olympian (2020, 2024). He is one of the few Black athletes to compete for the U.S. men's squad. He participated in water polo at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where the American team placed fifth, and later competed in the 2024 Olympic Games, where the American water polo team won the bronze medal.
•   Genai Kerr: A goalkeeper who represented the U.S. at the 2004 Athens Olympics, making history alongside his teammate as one of the first Black male swimmers to compete for the U.S. Genai was a member of the United States Men's National Water Polo Team for 12 years and played in the 2004 Athens Olympics, 2003 & 2007 Pan American Gold medal games, and multiple World Championships. He is one of the few athletes in history to compete internationally as both a goalie and a field player.
•   Dr. Omar Amr: An attacker who joined Kerr on the 2004 Athens Olympic roster, and currently works as a medical doctor while continuing to advocate for diversity in the sport.

American Divers

•   Dr. Sammy Lee: A groundbreaking figure in aquatics, Dr. Lee became the first Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States. He claimed back-to-back gold medals in platform diving at the 1948 London and 1952 Helsinki Games.
•   Victoria Manalo Draves: Born to a Filipino father and an English mother, Victoria Manalo Draves overcame heavy discrimination to win gold medals in both the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform at the 1948 London Games.
•   Greg Louganis: Of Samoan and Swedish descent, Louganis is widely considered one of the greatest divers of all time. He won consecutive gold medals in both platform and springboard diving at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
•   Mike Wright: Made history in 2010 by becoming the first African American to win a USA Diving senior national championship (1-meter springboard). He placed 12th in the U.S. Olympic Trials and has since served as a highly regarded NCAA diving coach.
•   Kristen Hayden: A trailblazing athlete who became the first Black female diver to win a U.S. national senior title when she took gold in the mixed synchronized 3-meter springboard event in 2021. She also became the first Black American diver to earn a bid to the World Aquatics Championships.
•   Nike Agunbiade: A standout talent who competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials and achieved medal success at the FINA World Cup.
•   Manny Pollard: An elite diver and current Team USA diving coach who has been highly active in the USA Diving DEI Council, working to bring more representation and accessibility to the sport.