Jamaica’s queen of the swimming pool, Alia Atkinson, kicked off her FINA/Airweave Swimming World Cup campaign with another win. Atkinson won the 50-meter short course breaststroke in Moscow, Russia on Wednesday.
25th career win
The world-record holder copped her the 25th career win in 29.46 seconds ahead of her perennial rival Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte, who was a closely behind in 29.51. Russian Natalia Ivaneeva won the bronze medal in 29.87.
Atkinson, who easily qualified for the final with a time of 29.73, found herself trailing Meilutyte, who reacted faster at the start – 0.59 to 0.69 – but the Jamaican, relying on her improved back-end speed, surged to get by the Lithuanian in time to touch first.
Last season Atkinson competed at eight of the nine World Cup stops and was undefeated in all eight of her 50-metre breaststroke races.
4th in 100 meters
In her final race of the day, Atkinson competed in the final of the 100 meters individual medley in which she finished fourth.
World record holder Katinka Hosszu of Hungary won in 57.02. The silver medal went to Sarah Sjöström in 57.61 while former record holder in the event Australian Emily Seebohm won Bronze in 58.63.
Atkinson, the CCCAN and CARIFTA’s standard bearer clocked 59.55.
The Jamaican star will be in action in the 200m breaststroke and 100m butterfly on Thursday.
