Five athletes have become first from South Africa to compete in the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston as part of a crew comprised entirely of people of color.

The event is part of a multi-national effort to expand access to one of the most exclusive, elite sports.

In recent years, diversity initiatives have expanded in rowing.

The first all-Black women’s 8+ from the U.S. competed at the Charles in 2022.

Lwazi-Tsebo Zwane, a 23-year-old from Germiston, South Africa, said he and his boatmates feel very aware of the fact that they are role models for younger rowers.

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AP Video shot by Rodrique Ngowi.