By Sharon Robb
BUDAPEST, Hungary, October 31, 2020—South Florida Aquatic Club’s Alia Atkinson continued her winning ways Saturday for the International Swimming League’s undefeated London Roar at Duna Arena.
Atkinson, 31, a four-time Jamaican Olympian, won the 100-meter breaststroke and the Skins final event.
Atkinson completed a breaststroke sweep. After winning her 12th consecutive 50-meter breaststroke title on Friday, she came back to win the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:03.75 ahead of London teammate Annie Lazor in 1:04.45. Atkinson is only the third woman to crack 1:04 this season.
In Round One of the Skins’ 50-meter breaststroke, Atkinson topped a field of seven swimmers in 29.61, the only swimmer to dip under 30 seconds. In Round 2, she topped a field of four swimmers in 29.89 and in the third and final round, she defeated LA Current’s Anastasia Gorbenko, 30.28-30.38. Atkinson scored 33 points in the Skins event.
American Tom Shields scored 31 points after winning his 50-meter butterfly Skins events.
In other notable races, Shields won the 200-meter butterfly in 1:50.28; Kira Toussaint of London Roar won the 100-meter backstroke in 56.36; and Tokyo’s Yasuhiro Koseki knocked off Adam Peaty of London Roar, 56.11-56.83 in the 100-meter breaststroke.
The four-team standings after Day 2 was London Roar, 499; LA Current, 478.5; Tokyo Frog Kings, 446.5; and DC Trident, 287.
After Match 5, LA Current remains on top of the club standings with nine points followed by London Roar and Cali Condors with eight.
“We had tired athletes in the squad today, but it was a great effort by the team,” London Roar head coach Mel Marshall told reporters.
Atkinson and her London Roar teammates compete next, Nov. 5-6, against Tokyo Frog Kings, Cali Condors and NY Breakers.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
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