Why are there no black Olympic swimmers?

Question

I was watching the Olympic swimming qualifying meet the other day and i noticed that there were no black swimmers. I only know of one black man who ever made it near the Olympics(Byron Davis in 1996). I've heard that it's because black people have heavy bones, but that is just so hard to believe. It just makes no sense to me because i would think black people and every other race have the same general bone composition. . .i mean we're all human. I swim and I noticed that at all of our swim meets against other schools i've only seen about 5 black swimmers and 1 diver all male. So i'd like to know why, because i really don't get it!

thanks in advance! 8)

Answer 1

One fact : You're Correct it is not heavy bones, it is high muscle mass. Muscle is less buoyant than fat. "White" people generally have a high body fat percentage which creates needed buoyancy  for swimming. Staying on the water surface naturally, rather than sinking naturally, helps in competitions. There are and were Olympic swimmers male and female who are "black". Some that have even received medals. In the 1970's Enith Brigitha won several Olympic medals and Brielle White qualified in 2008 Olympic Trails. Read links for pics, sources and more facts.

Personally, I think "black" people are not into swimming competitively by the masses for many reasons.  Mainly, there are generalizations or characteristics about groups of people that are more often true than not (not to be confused with stereotypes), but it is truly just personal preference. Hence, other activities (not just sports). Certain groups and individuals like to do what they like to and don't bother with what does not interest them.

Read some of the links for more info:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blackhist...

http://www.blackathlete.net/Swimming/ind...

http://www.blackathlete.net/Swimming/ind...

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/34008

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CQ19IHkBLLs&f...

Answer 2

black make things hot and when you are racing you dont want to get hot and lose.so i think thats why

Answer 3

Cullen Jones is black. He has a high chance of making it to the Olympics. btw, he's a sprinter.

EDIT: Jones made it in a relay.

Answer 4

First, let me get this straight, I am not racist.

Now, black people originate from Africa. In Africa for basic survival the people needed to hunt, mostly they hunted in the grasslands which required fast running. There was no need to get in the water and swim, they could just go to the river banks and scoop water up to drink. It's in their genes, survival of the fittest. They were made or lets say they were adapted for running fast to catch prey in the grasslands as they lived in a place where swimming was not needed. If you go to some of the African countries now and get some of the indigenous people to swim, they'd die, they hate water (well, swimming in it). Well, now, because African people are all over the world they can get adapted to swimming, but it will take time as they were originally adapted for fast running. Sometimes it is easier to just think animals, they are all adapted to different things because of their specific habitats, we humans are animals as well and the same applies to us. We are adapted to our habitats as well as some continents are drier than others, others are wetter, others have more rainfall, more lakes ...you get what I mean. Europeans: well, they had to go fishing as there were no grasslands with lions and zebras etc. to hunt so they were adapted to the swimming enviroments etc. you will notice that Europeans aren't fast runners.

I do hope I answered your question!

Answer 5

It might be genetics as you said, but can't say for sure

Answer 6

I watched the trials last night for only about two minutes and saw a black male swimmer - looked like he was very pleased with his time, but I'm not sure whether he won the heat or not.

I would guess that swimming and diving are not sports that are highly visible in black culture - it's not even very visible in the sports culture in general, except at Olympics time.  Also, it can cost quite a bit of money to swim or dive year round and the availability of swim/dive clubs is limited.

Answer 7

Cullen Jones is at the Olympic Trials and he is a black man that can very well make the American team. I don't know why it's less common, but you should watch the movie Pride, which is about an all black swim team based on a true story.

Answer 8

Well, actually, maybe you don't realize that chlorine is a very strong bleach!

With all due respect, are the people who ask these questions lacking a few nuts in the bowl?

Answer 9

they're busy playing for our US basketball team!

;-)

Answer 10

it all depends on where you live and grow up at...in atlanta some of the best  swimmers were black, now in st.louis (i'm 15) there are mostly only white swimmers because of the region which is the midwest.

the location makes all the difference not the race....swimming is bigger in atlanta than it is in st.louis...

sooner or later you will see more black swimmers in the Olympics...just give it about four or six years...

but right now cullen jones just made the olypics....and is the only african american to hold a world record.

Answer 11

I have a lot of black friends, and to be honest they just dont grow up swimming. The olympic athletes spend their whole lives dedicated to that sport, and for black people swimming just is not a big part of their upbringing. Why dont we see a lot of white sprinters, heck i dont know any???

Answer 12

Because they're all playing basketball?

You could just as easily ask why there are so few black people competing in fencing or polo.

I seriously doubt that there is a physiological or genetic reason for this.  I would say that swimming is just statistically more popular among white people.

Answer 13

I hope Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson don't see this question.  It'll be another racist conspiracy for sure.