{"id":117850,"date":"2014-12-18T07:53:20","date_gmt":"2014-12-18T14:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=117850"},"modified":"2014-12-18T07:53:20","modified_gmt":"2014-12-18T14:53:20","slug":"real-alia-atkinson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/real-alia-atkinson\/","title":{"rendered":"The Real Alia Atkinson"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern<\/em><\/p>\n

By now, many of us know Alia Atkinson as the first black woman and Jamaican to earn a swimming world title. On Dec. 6, the Texas A&M alumna tied Lithuania\u2019s Ruta Meilutyte\u2019s World Record in the 100 breaststroke<\/a>. The race – which took place at the FINA Short Course World Championships in Doha, Qatar – recorded Atkinson clocking a tremendous 1.02.36.<\/p>\n

In doing so, the Jamaican promoted the sport in her homeland, across the Caribbean, and in other minority countries. In a sport that is predominantly white, Atkinson has become the new face of swimming for Jamaicans, African-Americans, and other ethnic minorities alike.<\/p>\n

But beneath the stardom and success of her swimming career is the real Alia. <\/em><\/p>\n

Alia Shanee Atkinson was born on Dec. 11, 1988 in St. Andrew, Jamaica. Although the island is globally renowned for breeding some of the world\u2019s fastest men and women on land, Atkinson\u2019s parents decided to take a different approach on sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsidering where I come from a lot of Jamaicans don\u2019t know how to swim, so my parents thought it was necessary to have all their children know how to swim,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe [Atkinson and her two siblings] grew up around the water. We all started swimming [and] we all just stuck with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the time high school came around, Atkinson migrated to the sunshine state of Florida to continue her swimming career, attending Charles W. Flanagan in Pembroke Pines. Despite the initial adaptations the athlete made to her new American life – like getting used to the school system – Atkinson became a Flanagan Falcon and later joined the Comets Swim Team.<\/p>\n

It was during her time on the teams that Atkinson partook in her first Olympic Games, which were held in Athens, Greece, in 2004. The then 15-year-old underwent\u00a0a unique experience that the rest of her classmates and teammates may not ever know.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one of those experiences where the first time you go somewhere and everything is just fantastic! Everything just looked bigger and better and brighter,\u201d she reminisced. \u201cI was walking around, and I saw the Williams sisters [Venus and Serena] and all these big people and I was just a 15-year-old wondering, ‘What am I doing here?’ I definitely just went for the experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atkinson\u2019s experience in Athens only spurred her to work harder during the next four years, thus by 2008 she was a matured and motivated student-athlete, ready to make her mark on the swimming landscape.<\/p>\n

\u201c2008 was different because I was 19, a lot more mature, and I was expecting a lot more because it was my second Olympics: I was hoping to reach the semifinals,\u201d Atkinson said.<\/p>\n

The four years that Atkinson had gained in age made her second Olympic experience much more real than her first.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I was older, there was a whole different type of city life that I got to experience, so I got to experience the Chinese culture, which made the Olympic experience a lot better,\u201d Atkinson said.<\/p>\n

However, it was in London 2012 that Atkinson really made a splash in the pool where she placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke. But it didn\u2019t come easy. Atkinson was required to race in a swim-off for a place in the final against Canada\u2019s Tera van Beilen. After touching the wall first in a best time of 1:06.79 and setting a new Jamaican record, Atkinson secured her spot in the final occupying lane eight.<\/p>\n

\u201c2012 was exceptional,\u201d she said. \u201cI was 23 and that one [the meet] was for sure the deal-breaker: it was I make finals or I retire. I wanted to see if I\u2019d progressed over the last four years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atkinson successfully proved to herself, her nation, and the world that she had grown as a swimmer as she had the race of her life, clocking a 1:06.93 less than half a second from the bronze medal position.<\/p>\n

Despite her success in the breaststroke, Atkinson admitted that she hadn\u2019t always had an immediate connection with the stroke.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was growing up I was more of a freestyler and flyer but as I got older, the flexibility came in and for some reason breaststroke just clicked,\u201d Atkinson said.<\/p>\n

In her senior year at Texas A&M, Atkinson became NCAA Champion in the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:07.38<\/a>, contributing to the team\u2019s top 10 finish.<\/p>\n

Atkinson has certainly learned a lot throughout her career. With fame and success comes the inevitable attention from the media. Aside from inflicting pressure on herself, the swimmer confessed to feeling the most pressure at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one year after the Olympics and I had done so well,” Atkinson said. “I thought more people were looking at me: sponsors, the Jamaican population – who were trying to promote swimming – the U.S population, my coaches; it just seemed like everyone was looking at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pressure didn\u2019t go down well with the Jamaican idol as she touched twice in ninth place missing out on two finals. But as the athlete she is, Atkinson took the positive from the negative and left Barcelona with an important lesson learned: don\u2019t look at the media.<\/p>\n

Having already been to three Olympic Games, Atkinson explained that her stubbornness contributes to her motivation in the pool.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always think I can do more. Going into a race, I accomplish what I want to accomplish but I\u2019m already looking forward to the next one,” Atkinson said. “My sights are already on the Grand Prixs next year and Kazan in Russia for the World Championships. So I\u2019m always looking ahead and looking forward to what i have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three Olympic Games means 12 years of world-class\u00a0swimming. At 26, Atkinson already has more Olympic experience than most Olympic athletes. Such a successful occupation demands copious amounts of time, hard work and patience.<\/p>\n

At 16, Atkinson was all too familiar with the sacrificing of social events such as prom, parties, and \u201ctrivial stuff\u201d – that at the time seemed like a matter of life or death. The teenager found herself asking, \u201cDo I really want to do this?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was when Atkinson was at the pool one day and challenged to a race by an unexpected competitor that she discovered the answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis little girl, I think she was about six, asked me who I was,” Atkinson said. “So I introduced myself, and she said \u2018I want to race you!\u2019 So we raced, and she put her entire effort into that race. It was so inspiring! After that, it kind of brought up the little girl I was when I was in Jamaica, and it made me decide that I want to swim for that little girl inside me who has the hopes and dreams and to make them come true.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since that fateful experience, Atkinson has grown to learn what swimming has given to her. Besides the unbearably early mornings and constant sore muscles, the sport has provided her with reassurance, guidance, and a sense of tranquility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a gateway: anything that\u2019s happening in your life, any emotions or stresses, it\u2019s a way out for that one or two hours that you\u2019re in the water and you\u2019re in that little peace zone. That\u2019s you\u2019re safe, that\u2019s your home, it\u2019s just you and the water.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swimming also gave Atkinson a sense of identity, something she is very grateful for.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt helps me portray who I am. Growing up you have all of these different emotions and pressures. Swimming helped define who I am; through all the ups and downs; what you can fight against and what you can\u2019t; where your weaknesses and strengths are. Swimming helped me explore myself and who I am; who Alia really is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atkinson\u2019s endless years of hard work and knockbacks all paid off just under two weeks ago when she tied the 100 breaststroke world record. The one word she used to describe her historical experience was \u201cuntil<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things my mother always said was, \u2018How far are you going to swim? How much are you going to give yourself and how far are you going go? And you\u2019re going to do it \u2018until<\/em>.\u2019 So the \u2018until<\/em>\u2019 is until<\/em> whatever your goal is. Until<\/em> you succeed. Until<\/em> you get the gold medal. Until<\/em> you break the world record. It\u2019s always until<\/em> whatever you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many would consider being the first black woman and Jamaican to earn a swimming world title as something to brag about. But not Atkinson.<\/p>\n

When asked on how she feels now that she\u2019s made such history she humbly answered, \u201cit was pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atkinson revealed that due to previous negative experiences that she\u2019s had with pressure, it wasn\u2019t something she was pushing for.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t going for the world record or the first black female or Jamaican athlete. I was going to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, with the win came the record, and with the record came the reality of what Atkinson had achieved.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was overwhelming because I didn\u2019t realise what a big step it was – not just for me, but for all the nations that have [ethnic] minorities and the stereotype that black people can\u2019t swim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atkinson\u2019s work doesn\u2019t end in the pool. The athlete – who works at the International Swimming Hall of Fame<\/a> (ISHOF) – promotes minority swimming by increasing the sport\u2019s popularity among ethnic minorities such as Chinese, Blacks and Hispanics.<\/p>\n

According to Atkinson, the aim is to promote water safety for the minority groups and encourage them to come out and enjoy swimming as a sport and a life lesson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to develop a book, which is in six different languages, so we can go across the Caribbean, around the U.S., and some nations in Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alia Shanee Atkinson is 26-years-old. She is a three-time Olympian, two-time world silver medalist, NCAA Champion, and Short Course World Champion and World Record Holder. She\u2019s the first black female and Jamaican to ever receive a swimming world title – and she\u2019s not done yet.<\/p>\n

With Rio 2016 inching nearer each day, there\u2019s no reason as to why Atkinson won\u2019t pick up a medal not only for herself, but for her nation and the minorities in the swimming world. The road to Rio won\u2019t be easy, but then nothing worth having ever is.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there is a dream or a goal that you want you have to go for it 100%,\u201d she emphasized. \u201cGive all you have for the goals that you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alia Atkinson’s Personal Photo Gallery<\/h2>\n