Alice Dearing facts for kids
Dearing in 2024
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 23 April 1997 Birmingham, England |
| Height | 1.66m |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Freestyle |
| Club | Loughborough University |
Alice Dearing (born 23 April 1997) is a British swimmer. She is known for swimming in open water events, which are long races in lakes, rivers, or the ocean. In June 2021, Alice made history by qualifying for the 2020 Olympics. She also helped start the Black Swimming Association in 2020. This group works to encourage more people from diverse backgrounds to learn and enjoy swimming in Britain.
About Alice Dearing
Alice Georgina Nana Dearing was born on April 23, 1997. She grew up in a part of Birmingham, England. Alice started swimming when she was about eight or nine years old. She went to the Royal Wolverhampton School. Later, she studied at Loughborough University, where she was coached by Andi Manley.
Alice has family roots from both Ghana and England. She is one of the few Black swimmers to represent Great Britain in big competitions. She was the first Black female swimmer to compete for Britain at an Olympic Games. This happened in 2021 when she swam in the 10-kilometer marathon swim.
Alice's Swimming Journey
Alice Dearing has had an exciting swimming career. In 2014, she finished fourth in a 7.5-kilometer race at the World Junior Open Water championships. The next year, she won a bronze at the European Junior championships.
A big moment came in 2016. Alice became the 10-kilometer World Junior Open Water champion! She won by a tiny margin, just 0.5 seconds, after a fast sprint at the end. This was the first time a British swimmer had won a gold medal at this championship.
Alice first competed as a senior swimmer at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships. In 2019, she competed in the women's 10-kilometer event at the World Aquatics Championships. She finished 17th, which meant she didn't qualify for the 2020 Olympics right away. However, she later had her best senior race in February 2020. She finished tenth in a big international race in Doha, almost winning a medal.
In 2016, Alice was chosen for a special program called "Podium Potential." This program helps swimmers who might win medals at the Olympic Games. In 2018, she joined the British Swimming World Class Performance Programme. This program gives top athletes training and support from British Swimming experts.
Alice competed in the women's 10-kilometer marathon swim at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She finished in 19th place. She had qualified for the Olympics by finishing fourth in a qualifying race in Portugal.
After trying to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics and not making it, Alice decided to retire from competitive swimming in April 2024.
Awards and Recognition
Even after her swimming career, Alice continues to be recognized. In 2022, she was named a "Changemaker of the Year" by the Sunday Times. She also received an award from the Sports Journalists' Association. The next year, she was included on the BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Power List, which celebrates influential women.
Alice is also an Ambassador for the British Elite Athletes Association. This group supports top athletes. She is also part of the Advisory Board for British Esports, which focuses on competitive video gaming.
