“I used to be then being requested to talk on these panels: ‘How can we help our Black group?’ ‘How can we diversify the game of swimming?’” she stated in a 2023 documentary produced by TOGETHXR.

“To be requested to proceed to place my feelings on the road for different individuals to in some way be entertained by it—it was only a actually powerful time for me,” she stated. “As a result of I used to be coaching so exhausting and by no means took a break, I believe my physique simply ended up crashing.”

She wasn’t certain if she’d ever swim once more.

When she defined all her signs to the physician in 2021, he instantly knew what the issue was: “He simply checked out me and goes, ‘You’re overtrained,’” Manuel stated on the Unfiltered Waters podcast this April.

She modified her exercises for a number of weeks, however her efficiency continued to say no. At that time, her physician was frank: “‘In case you proceed to coach proper now, you won’t ever swim once more,’” Manuel stated. “That’s simply how poorly my physique was functioning.”

So, she took three weeks off. As she informed The Ringer, she’d stand up, eat breakfast, then hunker down on the sofa, the place she’d sleep for one more 4 to 5 hours. That quick break wasn’t sufficient to completely recuperate, however it allowed her to compete on the Trials in 2021. There, she positioned ninth within the 100-meter freestyle, not making it to the finals within the occasion the place she gained gold in Rio. Afterward, she revealed her analysis in an emotional press convention, then rallied to win the 50 freestyle, incomes a spot on Group USA in Tokyo.

She had a tough time understanding what—and when—to share about her well being.

About that press convention: Despite the fact that she knew she was coming into the 2021 Trials at lower than her greatest, Manuel hesitated to debate what she’d gone by way of.

Partly, she was holding out hope for a miracle—that regardless of how poorly she felt, she may nonetheless carry out effectively. She additionally feared that individuals won’t take her severely, pondering she was afraid of competitors or making excuses, she stated on Unfiltered Waters.

A few of her predictions proved true. “Folks didn’t consider that I really was overtrained,” Manuel stated within the TOGETHXR documentary. “Folks stated that I used to be distracted by all my different sponsor obligations, and that’s why I didn’t carry out effectively. That I turned lazy and my success went to my head.”

Her remedy included 5 months of full relaxation.

The Tokyo Olympics didn’t go in addition to Manuel hoped; although she gained bronze within the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, she didn’t make the ultimate within the particular person 50-meter freestyle. When she returned again dwelling, she noticed her physician once more. He requested her how a lot break day she thought she wanted, and he or she stated the remainder of the 12 months. So, that was her prescription—she didn’t practice, or do any bodily exercise in any respect, till January.

“I wasn’t allowed to get my coronary heart fee up in any respect—it was actually about giving my physique complete relaxation in order that it might simply proceed to attempt to recuperate and get wholesome,” she stated on Unfiltered Waters.