Jamaica’s own world record holder swimmer Alia Atkinson has announced retirment. She made this announcment public via Instagram after what is considered to be her last race at the 2021 World Short Course Swimming Championships. The competition took place in December 2021. Atkinson is also a 4-time world champion.
Alia Atkinson made history as the first black woman to win an individual world swimming title during the 12th FINA World Swimming competition held in Doha, Qatar, in 2014. She outdid the defending champion and world record holder Rūta Meilutytė, who was in the same event. Atkinson equaled Meilutytė’s 1:02.36 s record, which she had set before in the Moscow FINA World Cup. Atkinson went ahead to equal the record again in the 2016 FINA World Cup in France.
As we approach Jamaica’s 60th anniversary we recognize Alia Atkinson’s accomplishments and credits her for contributing to one of the most memorable moment in Jamaica’s sports history.
Below are some of her medals:
Gold
2014 – 100 breaststroke
2016 – 100 breaststroke
2018 – 50 breaststroke
2018 – 100 breaststroke
Silver
2012 – 50 breaststroke
2012 – 50 breaststroke
2014 – 50 breaststroke
2016 – 50 breaststroke
Bronze
2016 – 100 IM
2018 – 100 IM
