12-Year-Old Briton Eva Okaro Rocks 25.55 SCM 50 Free

2019 SWIM ENGLAND NATIONAL COUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, DIV 1 & 2

As a follow-up to our coverage of the 2019 Swim England National County Team Championships, which took place last week, we’d like to shine a spotlight on 12-year-old Eva Okaro of Kent County.

Okaro of Sevenoaks did major damage in the sprint free and fly events to help power Kent to a 3rd place finish in Division 1. The 12-year-old, who is listed in results as 13 since British Swimming recognizes age as of December 31st of the competition year, blasted a big-time personal best time of 57.22 to take gold in the 100m free.

Splitting 26.87/30.35, Okaro crushed her previous career-fastest 100m free time of 57.82 logged this past September. In fact, her SCM time from these County Teams checks-in her in as the 2nd fastest British 13-year-old (as of 12/31) ever, sitting only behind Stephanie Wood’s effort of 57.21 from a decade ago.

Okaro wreaked havoc on the 100m fly as well, punching a time of 1:01.92 to hack almost 2 seconds off of her previous lifetime best of 1:03.76 from last year. The Sevenoaks swimmer again moved onto the list of all-time British 13-year-old performers, this time in the #1 slot to displace Gabrielle Melbourne-Smith’s 1:02.19.

Finally, as lead-off on the unique 6x50m freestyle relay for Kent, Okaro put up perhaps her most impressive performance, clocking an opening split of 25.55. That outing obliterated her previous PB in the SCM 50 free which stood at the 26.53 she logged just last month at her club’s championships.

Additionally, her 25.55 moves Okaro into the top slot among all-time British 13-year-old performers, as well as falls within .04 of the overall British Junior Record in the 50m free.

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phelps swims 200 breast rio
4 years ago

I’m guessing Okaro’s swim roughly converts to 22.0 or so in yards. 8th place at last year’s NCAA Div 1 was 21.89.

Admin
Reply to  phelps swims 200 breast rio
4 years ago

I’d say it’s more like 23.0. A 25 meter pool is roughly 10% longer than a 25 yard pool, and in a 50 there’s not much “extra fatigue” from that extra 10%, so taking 10% off 25.55 gives you 23.0.

Dee
4 years ago

Brilliant swimming and great to see some young BAME swimmers starting to come through in Britain with the likes of Eva Okaro and Leah Whittaker going to the top of numerous age group alltime lists in recent months.

Jeff
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

All we can hope for now is that these youngsters stick with swimming and continue to improve as much as they want to.

Dee
Reply to  Jeff
4 years ago

Absolutely.

Fred
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

Hi

Freddie
Reply to  Fred
4 years ago

It helps that she is built like a 18 year old- has someone checked her birth certificate? 😉

Helena
Reply to  Freddie
4 years ago

Your comments are distasteful.She is a 12yr old who is dedicated, hardworking & has always been a solid swimmer.

Isabella
Reply to  Freddie
4 years ago

Pretty sure she’s 12 not even 13 yet. Soo….. no need to be unkind.

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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