Nice Britain’s First Black Olympic Swimmer Desires Swimming Caps For Black Hair To Be Accredited

Dearing and her brother took swimming classes collectively and she or he stated watching competitions was a household exercise.

“We’d report them, rewatch them, like, it was like a correct household factor with me, my mum and one among my brothers,” she stated.

Quick-forward a couple of years and Dearing herself has swum in these competitions and certified for the Tokyo Olympics. Though she got here in nineteenth place, her participation continues to be historic as the primary Black swimmer for the Crew Nice Britain.

Dearing additionally cofounded the Black Swimming Affiliation, which goals to encourage and diversify the individuals who swim within the UK. Dearing stated she needs to offer again to the game because it has given her a lot good in her life.

“I need different folks to know these alternatives can be found to them, and never sort of be pigeonholed into one thing due to their race or as a result of society thinks that that is what they need to do,” Dearing stated.

Dearing has additionally develop into a task mannequin to many. She stated it’s not one thing she thought she might be and stated it’s surreal. “It is simply sort of like, I am simply the woman from Birmingham, only a woman from the Midlands in England,” she stated. “So it is one thing that is sort of loopy. You by no means actually suppose you are in that place to assist affect or assist encourage or change somebody’s life in such a constructive approach.”

Though Dearing is likely one of the few Black swimmers recognized internationally, she stated that Within the swimming neighborhood she was not all the time the one non-white swimmer.

As she obtained older she began to listen to whispers of individuals saying that Black folks don’t swim and folks seemed to be stunned that she swam.

“We all the time laughed it off as a result of my mum, my mum’s from Ghana initially, she grew up swimming and it was a part of her life-style,” Dearing stated. “This is not only a joke like that is truly affecting folks’s lives and affecting the alternatives that they make each day. That is why I am so captivated with that.”

Dearing stated that whereas she isn’t very glad together with her Olympic efficiency, she has been getting messages of help.

“Actually everyone else is rather like, effectively carried out for getting there within the first place, effectively carried out for standing up, and having these conversations being a part of one thing that is larger than your self and advocating for change,” she stated.