Alia Atkinson smashs national record, wins gold in Dubai

Jamaica’s swim queen,Alia Atkinson hit top form in Dubai, on her way to a new national 100m breaststroke record and secured the gold at the final stop of the FINA/Airweave Swimming World Cup 2015.

The World Championship bronze medalist, over this same distance, smashed the old mark of 1:06.21 which she set at the World Championship. She touched home in a new world leading time of 1:05.93.

Atkinson finished ahead of series rival, Molly Hannis of USA, 1:06.60 and Viktoria Zeynep Gunes of Turkey in 1:06.96.

The mark achieved by 26 year old was just shy of the world junior record and world record of 1: 05.39 and 1:04.35 respectively. Both marks are held by Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania,achieved in Najing China (2014) and Barcelona Spain 2013.

The new personal record now ranks her joint 16th best of all time over that distance. A feat achieved also by Danish swimmer Rikke Pedersen.

Atkinson had previously pocketed the gold medal on stops in Hong Kong, Beijing and Doha in the 100m breaststroke event.

Just over week ago Atkinson race to a world leading time of 30.55 seconds over the 50m breaststroke.