Hailing from New Jersey, Dare Rose learned to be competitive in his childhood by competing head-to-head with his younger brother and sister in the same swimming pool. The Rose children never lacked support to pursue their swimming interests due to the motivation from their parents, Anthony and Kemi Rose. However, out of the three, only Dare continued in the sport. Such a connection with swimming might have been expected from Anthony and Kemi, as the Cal-Bears senior has nurtured a bond with water since his toddler days. That companionship is evident when he says, “I never had a fear of the water.” Did this companionship drive Dare Rose to break records?

Dare has had a strong bond with the 200m butterfly event since 2015. In that year, he broke the 11-12 NAG record in the event. He repeated the feat in the 13-14 age group. But the bond turns sweet when Dare Rose enters the 100m butterfly event. Last year, his determination paid off when he won a bronze medal at the 2023 Fukuoka World Swimming Championship. Furthermore, at the 2023 US National Championships, he became the sixth-fastest American of all time in the 100m butterfly.

This year, his coaches at Cal Bears and supporters saw him as the ultimate favorite to qualify for Paris in the 100m butterfly event. However, at the Indianapolis trials, he narrowly missed the berth by 4/100ths of a second. But will Dare Rose drop his shield now? Probably not, and that speaks volumes about his origin.

The 2023 national champion’s name has special significance to him and his family

Reflecting on his childhood stories, Dare Rose talks about his usual play in the ocean. With child-like glee, he says, “I didn’t hesitate to jump in the water wearing my floaties. I just floated back up and smiled. I loved it.” Yet, he also acknowledges the impact of his Nigerian grandfather on his name.

Born in November 2002, Dare Rose’s full name is Oludare Damilola Akinsanya Rose. That name gives him a Nigerian identity, with Oludare meaning, “God Give Me Vindication” or “Gift from God”. His Nigerian father gave him this name to help him always remember his roots while living in New York City. Dare Rose finds this backstory quite motivating.

A comeback from the 100m butterfly defeat in the trial final might just be a matter of time for him. In critical moments like this, Dare Rose embodies ‘Oludare,’ channeling his ‘Gift from God.’