Jamaican swimmer struts her stuff ahead of Summer Olympics
Jamaican swimming pioneer Alia Atkinson again dominated the breaststroke events this past weekend at the Florida Gold coast’s Speedo South Sectional meet held in Plantation.
Atkinson conquered the women’s long course 100-meter breaststroke, clocking a new Florida Gold Coast Championship Open record time at 1:07.82 minutes. This is in addition to her Florida Gold Coast record of 1:06.21, which she set last August. Atkinson also won the women’s long course 50-meter breaststroke with a time of 31.45, just short of the 30.11 Florida Gold Coast record she set last August. She also swept the women’s long course 200-meters breaststroke with a time 2:32.49 minutes.
The three-time Jamaica Olympian also led her club, the Pembroke Pines-based South Florida Aquatics Club (SOFLO), to victory in the 200-meters medley relay, contributing to their first-place position with a very fast 30.87 breast split. The team also won the women’s long course 400-meter relay.
This weekend marked an inspiring performance from the swim star, as she gets set to represent Team Jamaica in this 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Atkinson represents Jamaica’s great hope for an Olympic swimming medal, as the only black woman and Jamaica to win a world swimming title.
The globe-trotting swimmer will stay in the Sunshine State this weekend, to compete in the Florida Gold Coast (FGC) Senior Championships, being held at the Academic Village Swimming Pool in Pembroke Pines.
