Back to the Olympics Newsfeed

#Blackgirlmagic takes spotlight at Olympics

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andrea Lawful-Saunders has a ritual for cheering the black heroines of the Summer Olympics.

She gets into her corner of the living room, sets up her chair, demands silence before screaming at the top of her lungs, flails her body wildly and — in keeping with her Jamaican-American heritage — bangs pot covers together to celebrate victories.

From Simone Biles' gravity-defying flips to the history-making medal trifecta of the U.S. women racing in the 100-meter hurdles, many of the Olympics' most memorable moments have come courtesy of African-American women. Their accomplishments in Rio have spurred excitement and pride at home in the U.