I was so proud when I saw this because there is this HUGE stereotype that black people are just afraid of water and don't swim. As a swimmer myself since age 5, I can definitely vouch that not all of US are afraid of water.

Cullen Jones, the former North Carolina State star, qualified for not one, but two individual events over the weekend and earned the title of the America's fastest swimmer by beating out rival Anthony Ervin by 1/100th of a second and is now headed to this year's Olympic Games.

Jones will be competing in the men's 50 and 100m races as well as the 4x100 relay race.

“I’ve been dreaming of this forever, of qualifying for two individual events in the Olympics,”he told reporters.
 “The plan now,” Jones said, “is not to let the U.S. down.”

Being titled America's fastest swimmer, I'm sure he'll do just fine. Hopefully he will bring home the gold for the U.S. team.

Along with Jones in this year's Olympic Games will be Anthony Ervin and Lia Neal, two other black swimmers, giving the U.S. team some much needed diversity on the swim team. Hopefully this will encourage more people of color to hit the pools and get rid of this stereotype.

Source