After she experienced a near fatal incident when swimming in a lake, my Mum wanted to ensure that I was equipped with the essential life skill from a young age, a skill which became the foundation of a successful sporting career, opening more doors than I could ever imagine.

Had I been raised in Kingston rather than Leeds, I would not have had access to the same opportunities. The local leisure centre was only 10 minutes away from home, with an affordable and structured Learn to Swim programme accessible for anyone. Without knowing how to swim, you cannot dive, and accessibility to swimming lessons is extremely limited in Jamaica.

High costs, a lack of local facilities, and negative cultural perceptions discourage many people, particularly those in underserved communities, from simply learning how to be safe in water. Consequently, Jamaicans miss out on the physical and mental health, social, and recreational benefits that swimming can provide, and furthermore, Jamaica misses out on discovering talented individuals who can one day fly the flag on the international sporting stage.