Five athletes are becoming the first from South Africa to compete in the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston as part of a crew comprised of all people of color. The event is part of a multinational 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.