Sevenoaks swimmer Eva Okaro set to make history as first black woman to swim for Team GB in pool at an Olympic Games

Sevenoaks swimmer Eva Okaro is set to make history when she makes her Olympic debut this summer after being selected to represent Team GB in Paris.

Okaro, who trains in Repton, will be the first black woman to swim for Team GB in the pool, following in the footsteps of open-water swimmer Alice Dearing, who blazed a trail at Tokyo 2020.

The 17-year-old is part of a 33-strong team that will represent Great Britain across pool and marathon swimming during the Games, with action getting under way in Paris on July 27 at La Defense Arena.

Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England said: “Team GB has a proud tradition in Olympic swimming competitions, and I am delighted to welcome all 33 athletes to the team for Paris 2024.

“The strength and depth of our pool swimming team was evident to see at the recent Aquatics GB Swimming Championships. I have no doubt the thrilling races we saw at the British Championships last week will be equally close fought.

“We’re excited to watch them all compete against the best in the world.”

Okaro will be among the youngest to take to the pool for Team GB but has no shortage of pedigree having set British records since the age of 14.

The teenager grew up swimming with twin sister Izabella and found her affinity for the pool at Sevenoaks Swimming Club before being called up to join the British senior team in Loughborough.

Okaro finished second in the women’s 50m freestyle at the 2024 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships behind Anna Hopkin to qualify for Paris.

Aquatics GB Performance Director Chris Spice said: "This is such an exciting group of athletes that we will be taking to Paris this summer.

"On top of some outstanding individual swims, the collective displays showed that we are in a really good