Four-time Olympian Alia Atkinson of Jamaica scorched the competition in finals of the women’s 50 SCM breaststroke while swimming at the Tokyo stop of the 2016 FINA World Cup Series.
Atkinson dashed to a final time of 28.64, scraping .16 seconds off the former World Record of 28.80, set in 2009 by Jessica Hardy. The Jamaican Olympian is no stranger to World Record status, having tied the 100 SCM breaststroke twice (first in 2014, followed by a tie at the Paris-Chartres stop of the 2016 FINA World Cup Series).
The prize for setting a World Record at one of the World Cup stops is a bonus of $10,000 and is sure to boost Atkinson’s ranking on the 2016 money list.
Atkinson has been a dominating presence on the international scene for close to a decade, making her first big appearance at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The 27-year-old has gone on to represent Jamaica at the following three Olympic Games (2008-2012-2016) with her highest finish being a fourth-place finish in the 100 LCM breaststroke at the 2012 Olympics.
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Aaron Rodriguez Haza