Alia Atkinson, the fourth-place finisher in the Olympic final of the 100 breast, won that event today with a 1:08.64 representing South Florida Aquatics. The Jamaican has been faster this season with a 1:08.51 win at the Arena Grand Prix in Orlando. Two other Olympians were also in the top three: Sweden’s Rebecca Ejdervik, representing Hurricane, was second with a 1:09.95, and Canadian Martha McCabe was third with a 1:10.03.
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As the Government makes the final steps towards fulfilling a promise made to Jamaican swimming star Alia Atkinson, the 24-year-old has moved to defend the decision made to fund her $20-million 2016 Olympics training programme. Following a fourth-place, national record-smashing performance in the 100m breaststroke at last year’s Olympic Games in London, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller assured that the Government would help to fund Atkinson’s training expenses all the way through to the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. However, with the sport being dominated on many fronts by much younger swimmers, some have questioned the prudence of Simpson Miller’s pledge, calling instead for greater focus and support towards the island’s youth talent through the implementation of proper programmes and structure. Prime minister surprised Atkinson, who had brief discussions with Simpson Miller and minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for sport, Natalie Neita-Headley after the recent RJR Sports Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards, told The Gleaner that Simpson Miller expressed surprise that things weren’t already in place for the funding. “She (Simpson Miller) was surprised that she hadn’t heard anything from her staff, so she said she […]
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Alia Atkinson won the silver medal Thursday in the Women’s 50m breaststroke in Istanbul, Turkey at the FINA World Swimming Short Course Championships, giving Jamaica their first-ever medal at the event. The 24-year-old Atkinson finished with a time of 29.67 seconds securing her silver medal and place on the podium. She has the rights to say that she is one of the five fastest women of all-time in the sprint breaststroke. Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania secured the gold for the third consecutive time and set a championship record with a time of 29.44 seconds. Her time was the second fastest time in history. Australian Sarah Katsoulis claimed the bronze with 29.24 seconds. The 15-year-old Meilutyte world record time is behind American Jessica Hardy, who recorded her world time of 28.80 on November 15, 2009. The United States does not recognize her time because she clocked it a technical suit, which was banned domestically in the United States. Atkinson set another national record while competing in the semi-finals of the 100m individual medley. She won the event in 58.94 seconds, which is the second fastest time in the world this year behind Katinka Hosszu of Hungry. Hosszu swam 58.83 at the […]
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ON DAY 2 OF CANADA CUP Alia Atkinson racked up another 2 victories on day 2 of Canada Cup in Etobicoke, ON. Alia won the women’s 50 breast in Canada Cup record time of 29.87; a record which she previously set in the preliminaries earlier in the day. Martha McCabe and Tera Van Beilen were second & third respectively with 31.34 and 31.58. For Atkinson, that was another Jamaican Record, and pushed her to 10th of all time. Atkinson is so incredibly strong, which is how she won an NCAA title (though in the 200) at A&M. Her long course has really come a long way since then, including a 4th-place finish at the Olympics in the 100 in 2012, but her short course hasn’t suffered one bit. Atkinson’s best swimming may be yet to come, and it’s encouraging to see the South Florida trained swimmer sticking around in the sport for now. Alia also won the 100IM in a time of 59.96 (another personal best and National Record), but was dethroned in the 50 fly by 16 year old Noemie Thomas of Vancouver. Thomas clocked a 25.99 to Alia’s 26.85 andKaterine Savard’s 27.00. Savard had won the 200 fly earlier in the day […]
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