#Rio2016: Another African-American Olympian Makes History

An American Michelle Carter caused a major upset at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympics by winning the women’s Shot put on the opening night of the track and field events at the Olympics.

Carter beat out favorite New Zealand’s Valerie Adams, with a throw of 20.63m. Adams had won the event in 2008 and 2012, and had not lost since 2010. Adams won silver yesterday with a throw of 20.42m.

Carter also made history at Rio 2016 as the first African-American woman to win the event and also the first American woman to win it since 1960 when Earlene Brown took home bronze in Rome.

Carter is on a mission to change perceptions of women in the event. She said in an interview with the New Yorker “I think now, it’s like, ‘You know what? We’re girls and we can throw heavy balls and be in the dirt and we look good while we’re doing it.

“I think it’s bringing more attention to the sport and girls are realizing, Hey, I can do this and it’s OK to do this as a girl.”

Carter is also from a sporting family, her father Michael Carter, who won shot put silver at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and also won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers.