These Heavy Black Bones

‘What a book! Rebecca is such an absorbing writer, These Heavy Black Bones reads with the tension of a thriller and I desperately wanted her to be okay. It both illuminates the world of elite sport, the struggle and sacrifice, but is also really broadly relatable - a tribute to the writing, of course. It was a feast in every way: for the intellect and the senses, so very visceral’ - CATHY RENTZENBRINK‘Speaks about the intensity of training and the pressure of often being the only Black woman poolside’ - Women’s Health‘As a teenage swimmer, Ajulu-Bushell realized that being exceptional came with a cost. Struggling with the pressure she felt to succeed in a predominately white sport, she quit while training for the 2012 Olympics’ - TIME” -” -” -

Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell is an ex-elite athlete who swam for both Great Britain and Kenya over a 10-year career. She is a former British Champion, world number one and the first Black woman ever to swim for Great Britain. Honoured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2023 in the Social Impact category and TIME’s list of 18 Black leaders working to end the racial wealth gap, Rebecca is also the CEO of the 10,000 Interns Foundation, a non-profit that champions underrepresented talent. Rebecca studied Fine Art at the University of Oxford. She lives in London but still calls Kenya home. These Heavy Black Bones is her first book.