WRITTEN BY SHARON ROBB
November 23, 2012
South Florida Aquatic Club’s Alia Atkinson looks more than ready for next month’s world short course championships after dominating the opening day of the Canada Cup.
The three-time Jamaican Olympian broke the meet record in the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:04.69, the third fastest time posted in the world this year and tenth on the all-time list. It also broke her Jamaican national record of 1:06.05.
Atkinson came back to win the 200-meter individual medley in best time 2:11.71, bettering her prelim time of 2:14.88. Her long course seed time was 2:14.75.
Atkinson also won the 50-meter freestyle in 25.35, faster than her 26.12 prelim time. Her seed time was 25.90 long course.
Atkinson was eighth in the 100-meter butterfly in 1:02.35 after swimming the fifth fastest time in prelims in 1:01.39.
In the men’s 200-meter butterfly prelims, SOFLO’s Endi Babi, 24, finished 22nd in 2:10.59 and 49th in the 50-meter butterfly in 26.89.
Atkinson, entered in eight events, is preparing for the Dec. 12-16 World Short Course Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.
On Saturday, Atkinson will swim the 50- and 200-meter breaststroke, 50-meter butterfly and 100-meter individual medley.
Other meet winners on the opening day of competition:
University of Florida’s Sinead Russell, 19, coming back from an arm injury that kept her out of the Gators’ fall season, won the 50-meter backstroke in 27.86 ahead of Kristin Steins in 27.90.
Heather MacLean, 20, won the 200-meter freestyle in 1:57.31 ahead of Canadian teammate and fellow Olympian Samantha Cheverton, 24, in 1:57.96.
Olympians Alexa Komarnycky, 23, (8:33.08) and Savannah King, 20, (8:33.10) finished 2/100ths of a second apart.
Kelly Aspinall, 22, won the men’s 100-meter freestyle in 48.45 and the 100-meter backstroke in 52.60, just missing Ryan Lochte’s meet record of 52.54. He also won the 50-meter butterfly in 23.46.
Sixteen-year-old Noemie Thomas won the 100-meter butterfly in 58.11, just off her meet record of 58.02 in prelims.
Zach Summerhayes, 22, won the men’s 400-meter individual medley in 4:16.11.
Zack Chetrat, 22, broke his own meet record to win the 200-meter butterfly in 1:55.60.
Dillon Perron, 20, won the 50-meter breaststroke in 28.05.
Keegan Zanatta won the men’s 400-meter freestyle in 3:49.82.
Andrew Ford edged Jake Tapp in the 100-meter individual medley, 55.25-55.30.
Warren Barnes won the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:14.27.
Lauren Lavigna won the 200-meter backstroke in 2:08.70.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
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