Mag-nificent! MacNeil Captures Olympic Gold Medal in 100-meter Butterfly
7/25/2021 9:54:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving, Olympics
TOKYO, Japan -- One night after winning an Olympic silver medal in a relay, rising senior Maggie MacNeil became the first women's swimmer from the University of Michigan to bring home an individual Olympic gold medal in more than 50 years, winning the women's 100-meter butterfly by five one-hundredths of a second for Team Canada on Monday morning (July 26) at Tokyo Aquatics Center.
MacNeil's 55.59 was anchored by an incredible closing stretch, as she covered the final 50 meters in 29.09 to move from seventh at the halfway point to the second-fastest time in Olympic history. The London, Ontario, native also set a new Americas record as she shaved a full second off her times from the heats and semifinals.
China's Yufei Zhang (55.64) won the silver medal, while Australia's Emma McKeon (55.72) took the bronze.
MacNeil becomes the first women's swimmer from U-M to win an individual gold medal since Ginny Duenkel at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Duenkel, who did not enroll at U-M until after the 1964 Games, competed for the U-M Women's Athletic Association team at a time there was not a women's varsity swimming and diving program. MacNeil's two medals in one Olympics also equal Duenkel, who won gold in the 400 freestyle and bronze in the 100 backstroke in 1964.
MacNeil adds the gold medal to her gold in the event from the 2019 World Championships, as well as NCAA titles in both the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle in 2021 en route to being named CSCAA Swimmer of the Year.
The gold medal for MacNeil comes on the heels of winning a silver medal as part of the Canadian 4x100-meter relay team Sunday morning in Japan.
• 100-meter Butterfly (Final): 1. Maggie MacNeil (55.59)
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
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