African-Americans
Auburn gymnast Sunisa Lee performs during a meet at the University of Michigan, Saturday, March 12, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. A record crowd came out to watch Lee, the reigning Olympic champion, and Auburn take on defending national champion Michigan. The arrival of Lee and several of her Olympic teammates at the collegiate level is helping fuel a spike in interest and participation in NCAA women's gymnastics. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
'Beacon of goodness': NCAA women's gymnastics is booming

By Will Graves Mar. 29, 2022 06:07 PM EDT

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Feb. 17, 2022 11:05 AM EST
Feb. 18 1924 — Theresa Weld Blanchard wins her sixth and final U.S. figure skating championship. Sherwin Badger captures his fifth straight and final...

Richardson Viano, of Haiti, celebrates after finishing the men's slalom run 2 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. Haiti sent skier Richardson Viano to China as its first winter Olympian ever. Like Viano, who learned to ski in France after he was adopted by a French family, most of the African and Caribbean participants in the Games either trained or lived in countries with ski slopes and training facilities. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
On the slopes, a struggle for Black skiers’ Olympic dreams

By Aaron Morrison Feb. 16, 2022 07:46 PM EST

Shannon Abeda, of Eritrea passes a gate during the first run of the men's giant slalom at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
After dip in Beijing, Olympians ask: What about Africa?

By John Leicester Feb. 16, 2022 02:27 AM EST

Erin Jackson of the United States hoists an American flag after winning the gold medal in the speedskating women's 500-meter race at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Golden moment: Jackson 1st Black woman speedskating medalist

By Paul Newberry Feb. 13, 2022 03:01 PM EST

Gold Medalist Erin Jackson of the United States poses during a venue ceremony for the speedskating women's 500-meter race at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
US looks to build off Jackson's historic speedskating gold

By Beth Harris Feb. 13, 2022 02:12 PM EST

Erin Jackson of the United States carries an American flag across the ice after winning the gold medal in the speedskating women's 500-meter race at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Erin Jackson of US 1st Black woman to win speedskating gold

By Paul Newberry Feb. 13, 2022 09:49 AM EST

Erin Jackson of US wins gold to become first Black woman to medal in speedskating at the Olympics

Feb. 13, 2022 09:40 AM EST
BEIJING (AP) — Erin Jackson of US wins gold to become first Black woman to medal in speedskating at the Olympics. ...

FILE - France's Surya Bonaly performs a back flip during her free skate program at White Ring Arena Friday, Feb. 20, 1998, in Nagano, Japan. The thrilling move has neither been widely attempted since nor accepted by judges for international competitions, such as the Olympic Games, and thus “the Bonaly flip” has never became a big thing. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, File)
On the ice, a question: Where are the Black figure skaters?

By Aaron Morrison Feb. 11, 2022 02:45 PM EST

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Feb. 03, 2022 10:57 AM EST
Body Feb. 4 1861 — The Philadelphia Athletics beat Charter Oak 36-27 in a baseball game played on frozen Litchfield Pond in Brooklyn, N.Y...

FILE - In this July 23, 2021, file photo, Yui Susaki and Rui Hachimura, front right, of Japan, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The racial diversity Japan showcased at the Olympic opening ceremony also highlights its lack in Japanese society. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP, File)
Olympics carry a question: What does it mean to be Japanese?

By Mari Yamaguchi Aug. 04, 2021 04:42 AM EDT

FILE - In this July 27, 2021 file photo, Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo. Biles and Naomi Osaka are prominent young Black women under the pressure of a global Olympic spotlight that few human beings ever face. But being a young Black woman -- which, in American life, comes with its own built-in pressure to perform -- entails much more than meets the eye. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
Black women, across generations, heed Biles’ Olympic example

By Aaron Morrison, Astrid Galvan And Deepti Hajela Aug. 03, 2021 10:19 PM EDT

Ashley Twichell, of the United States, competes in the women's marathon swimming event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Dearing, who brought swimming diversity debate, loses race

By Paul Newberry Aug. 03, 2021 10:19 PM EDT

United States Tamyra Marianna Stock Mensah, left, and compete Nigeria's Blessing Oborududu during the women's 68kg Freestyle wrestling bronze medal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, in Chiba, Japan. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Mensah-Stock 1st first Black U.S. woman wrestler to win gold

By Cliff Brunt Aug. 03, 2021 10:40 AM EDT

Raven Saunders, of United States, reacts during the woman's shot put final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Incredible Raven: Saunders lends her voice to the Olympics

By Eddie Pells And Pat Graham Aug. 01, 2021 03:14 AM EDT

Simone Manuel of the United States, left, reacts with teammate Katie McLaughlin, right, at the pool during a swimming training session at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Ban on 'Soul Cap' spotlights lack of diversity in swimming

By Jenna Fryer Jul. 31, 2021 06:30 AM EDT

FILE - In this July 13, 2021, file photo, head coach Dawn Staley, center, coaches during practice for the United States women's basketball team in preparation for the Olympics in Las Vegas. Jennifer Gillom says everything is a process. Dawn Staley becoming the first Black female head coach of the U.S. women's Olympic basketball team is no different. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
Gillom sisters: Black ex-assistants paved way for Staley

By Teresa M. Walker Jul. 26, 2021 10:04 AM EDT

Head coach Dawn Staley, center, coaches during practice for the United States women's basketball team in preparation for the Olympics, Tuesday, July 13, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Staley feels no added pressure as first Black US hoops coach

By Doug Feinberg Jul. 26, 2021 09:58 AM EDT

Girls wait in line to practice gymnastics, Thursday, July 22, 2021, at Power Moves Gymnastics and Fitness in Cedarhurst, N.Y. The face of gymnastics in the United States is changing. There are more athletes of color starting — and sticking — in a sport long dominated by white athletes at the highest levels. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
'This can be me': Black participation rising in gymnastics

By Will Graves Jul. 23, 2021 01:24 PM EDT

Donata Katai is seen after a swimming practice session in Harare, Zimbabwe, Saturday, July 10, 2021. The southern African nation is sending the black swimmer to the Olympics, the first from her country to the Games. Seventeen-year-old Katai won African youth titles and broke youth records once held by two-time Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry, who is not only Zimbabwe's most successful swimmer but also Africa's most decorated Olympian. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Zimbabwe sends its 1st Black swimmer to the Olympics

By Enock Muchinjo Jul. 21, 2021 07:08 AM EDT