Alice Dearing

• Born: 23 April 1997

Alice Dearing

History-maker Alice Dearing’s influence stretches further than just being the first Black female swimmer to represent Team GB at an Olympic Games.

As a co-founder of the Black Swimming Association, Dearing has played a pivotal role in aiming to increase diversity within aquatics.

She became only the second Black woman to represent Britain, following in the footsteps of Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell, but her appearance in the Women’s 10km marathon swimming event at the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games represented a significant milestone.

Dearing finished 19th in the race at the Odaiba Marine Park in Japan’s capital having previously been both world and European junior champion.

She retired from elite competition just before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Dearing continues to be a role model as she encourages more diversity in swimming.

She presented part two of the Sky Sports documentary Aquaphobia, which explored the relationship between ethnically diverse communities and water and was also involved in the Women’s Sport Trust’s Unlocked campaign.