Tweet
Alia wins Silver at FINA World Swimming Championship
7:26 pm, Thu December 13, 2012
Alia Atkinson won Jamaica's first ever medal at a world championship, with silver at the world short-course meet in Istanbul, Turkey.
The 26 year old clocked 29.64 seconds to claim silver in the 50 metres breaststroke won by the 15 year old Lithuanian Rutha Melutyte who lowered the championship record to 29.44 seconds.
Atkinson was also 2-hundredths of a second outside her personal best set in the semi-finals.
The three time olympian also remained in contention for a medal in the 100 metres individual medley.
She qualified for friday's final with the fastest time of 58.94 seconds. China's Zhao Zing 59.12 and melutyte 59.15 seconds, were the other top qualifiers.
Atkinson had earlier posted one minute, 00.99 seconds to make progess to the semis.
Former national techical director Jackie Walter believes Atkinson's good performance at the London olympics was an indication of things to come.
"Alia has been around for the last few years and i have felt she just needed the confidence and i believe that the olympics have given her that confidence that she can be up there in the world," Walters told RJR Sports.
"so going into this meet, knowing she was fourth at the olympics, certainly helped her," the former technical director added.
Following Atkinson success at these short course world championships, Walter thinks it is time for the swimming association to start keeping national and age group records for these events
7:26 pm, Thu December 13, 2012
Alia Atkinson won Jamaica's first ever medal at a world championship, with silver at the world short-course meet in Istanbul, Turkey.
The 26 year old clocked 29.64 seconds to claim silver in the 50 metres breaststroke won by the 15 year old Lithuanian Rutha Melutyte who lowered the championship record to 29.44 seconds.
Atkinson was also 2-hundredths of a second outside her personal best set in the semi-finals.
The three time olympian also remained in contention for a medal in the 100 metres individual medley.
She qualified for friday's final with the fastest time of 58.94 seconds. China's Zhao Zing 59.12 and melutyte 59.15 seconds, were the other top qualifiers.
Atkinson had earlier posted one minute, 00.99 seconds to make progess to the semis.
Former national techical director Jackie Walter believes Atkinson's good performance at the London olympics was an indication of things to come.
"Alia has been around for the last few years and i have felt she just needed the confidence and i believe that the olympics have given her that confidence that she can be up there in the world," Walters told RJR Sports.
"so going into this meet, knowing she was fourth at the olympics, certainly helped her," the former technical director added.
Following Atkinson success at these short course world championships, Walter thinks it is time for the swimming association to start keeping national and age group records for these events
Comment