Build, battle and get better is the motto Alia Atkinson will be using to motivate herself and her teammates as the London Roar head into this weekend’s final of the International Swimming League in Budapest.
The 31-year-old Jamaica heads into the finals ranked number one in the 100m breaststroke having clocked a world-leading 1:02.66 during last weekend’s semi-finals. She is ranked fourth in the 50m breaststroke.
However, with her form on the upswing, she feels confident she will be able to bring her ‘A’ game for the London Roar this weekend.
“Throughout this whole series we wanted to try and get better as it went along. Each meet I wanted to get closer and closer to the 1:02 range so I am really happy I got a chance to dip under the 1:03 in the semi-finals and I just have to hold and sustain it for the finals coming up this Saturday and Sunday,” the Olympian told Sportsmax.TV.
The Roar are currently third in the ratings with 2007 rating points, just behind Cali Condors 2222 and defending champions Energy Standard 2291. Despite being behind, Atkinson believes the team is focused on delivering their best to make London go one better than their runner-up spot in 2019.
“We’re looking forward to it. Right now we’re third but we’re pretty close to second and first. I really think we can pull something out. I think we can surprise some people and just do our best,” she said.
“Six weeks is a long time. Everybody is excited to go home but as a team I think we’re focused and ready to go into the finals and produce the best times they can and I know we will give it 100 per cent effort,” she said.
That aside, she was pleased that she was able to break Jamaica’s 100m butterfly record twice during the season. The three-time Jamaican Female Athlete of the Year first set a new record of 57.21 on November 9 before lowering it again last weekend to 57.13.
“The butterfly was fantastic, I wanted to go 56 but like the 100 breast you have to take it step by step. I haven’t done that race in like six years, so considering that it is a pretty good time,” she said. ”Hopefully, as I swim it some more I will get faster and faster.”
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Sun Yang's eight-year ban overturned
Three-time Olympic champion Sun Yang had his eight-year ban from swimming overturned by the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
Sun, 29, was initially handed the suspension in February after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) appeal against the decision from FINA, the international swimming federation, to clear the Chinese swimmer of wrongdoing over allegations stemming from a visit to his home by out-of-competition testers in September 2018.
But the Swiss Federal Tribunal overturned the ban, WADA confirmed on Wednesday.
"The Swiss Federal Tribunal's decision upholds a challenge against the Chair of the CAS Panel and makes no comment on the substance of this case," a WADA statement read.
"In the CAS award, WADA clearly prevailed on the substance of the case as it was able to show that there were a number of aspects of the original FINA decision that were incorrect under the World Anti-Doping Code and the related International Standard for Testing and Investigations.
"WADA will take steps to present its case robustly again when the matter returns to the CAS Panel, which will be chaired by a different president.
"At this stage, WADA has not received the Tribunal’s full reasoned decision and therefore cannot comment further."
Sun is a six-time Olympic medallist, including winning two golds at London 2012 and another in Rio four years later.
He is also an 11-time world champion, most recently doing the 200-metre and 400-metre freestyle double in Gwangju in 2019.
Alia Atkinson honoured by Special Olympics ambassador appointment
Jamaican Olympian Alia Atkinson says she is honoured to have been named Champion Ambassador of the Special Olympics Movement. The announcement came on Thursday as the Special Olympics celebrated International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Atkinson is the first competing Olympic athlete appointed to the role Caribbean.
“The role of Champion Ambassador for Special Olympics defines the power of real purpose,” Atkinson told the Jamaica Gleaner.
“Special Olympics athletes meet the challenge each day to realize their full potential, and I’m honoured to have the chance to learn from them, and to share our experiences together as we strive for inclusion for those with intellectual disabilities.”
Alia Atkinson closes strong as London Roar finishes third in 2020 ISL
Alia Atkinson capped off her strong 2020 ISL campaign with two second-place and a third place finish during the weekend finals when last season’s runners up, London Roar, finished third.
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