Like so many Black swimmers, I’m well aware that many people think I’m less capable than my white peers in the pool. You’ve probably heard the myth that “Black people can’t swim” too. But there’s a reason that Black communities in America, for example, don’t have as much pool-participation as white ones. For years, swimming was seen as a no-go zone for many Black people thanks to entrenched racism.

Over in the US, 58% of Black children are still unable to swim. Perhaps it’s not so surprising to learn then that they’re also three times more likely to drown. This current reality is indelibly linked to the country’s history of segregation which saw Black people banned from public swimming pools and those facilities that were available to them were in such awful condition that no one wanted to swim in them. When communities decided to fight back and campaign for equal swimming rights, they were beaten out of the white pools.

In the city of Pittsburgh, where no laws existed to ban mixed swimming, local authorities encouraged white swimmers to physically abuse Black people who dared to crawl in their waters, to deter them from swimming. Our history with swimming has mirrored the racial inequalities our community has faced on dry land.

Things, however, are changing and in the UK, we have charities like the Black Swimming Association which campaigns and creates funding to get more ethnic minorities involved in swimming. However, figures from Sport England show that 80% of Black children still aren’t swimming at all. As a Black woman who has been swimming since childhood, I want the sport to be made more accessible in my community. Swimming isn’t just a brilliant low-impact cardio exercise, it’s also an opportunity for self-care, focus and calm. The glow you feel after a swimming session is unparalleled.

Olympics 2021: “Undeniably racist” decision to ban Afro-friendly swimming caps at Tokyo 2021 may be overturned