National record propels Atkinson into final

• Manager believes performance will 'motivate other kids'

Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sports

GUADALAJARA, Mexico

Jamaica's swim manager at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Allan Marsh, is over the moon after Alia Atkinson, in her first swim at the Games, broke her own national record in the women's 100 metres butterfly.

Atkinson clocked 1:01.41 to lower the 1:02.40 she set at the last Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro four years ago. The leading qualifier for the final, which was set for last night, was American Claire Donahue, who clocked a personal best 58.59 seconds. Atkinson was second in this heat.

"I think it was an excellent swim and is going to motivate the other kids," Marsh said in the mixed zone.

"She needed to get acclimatised to the pool and the facilities and she did so and reached the final (set for last night)," Marsh added.

Atkinson has been in Mexico since September 30 at a camp in St Louis, Mexico, four hours drive from Guadalajara.

"A number of the swimmers competing here went to that camp, but Jamaica's two other swimmers (Zara Bailey and Kendese Nangle) could not make it because they were in school and could not get the time off," Marsh said.

Atkinson, not one to go overboard in her comments, said the swim (record) set up things well for the rest of her time here.

"I was nervous ... because it was the first of the meet, but it went well. I am sixth overall and in the final. Main problem is that it was the first event in the morning and the last five metres hurt a lot.

"However, considering how the first one went and how tonight's is, the two breaststrokes should be pretty good," she added.

Meanwhile, new kid on the block, England-born Zara Bailey, was badly affected by the altitude and lack of acclimatisation, having only arrived here last week, and finished fourth in her heat of the 400 metres individual medley in 5:19.46 and failed to advance. The time was well off her personal best of 5:00.00. Julia Smith of the United States won heat four of the event in the fastest time, 4:51.78.

"It was my most painful swim I've ever done. I felt completely exhausted," Bailey said.

The 15-year-old Bailey, born in England to a Jamaican father and Zimbabwean mother, added: "It was a long way off my best time because I could not breathe well as I have not acclimatised properly. I hope my 200m individual medley is better in a few days."

Manager Marsh, meanwhile, was very disappointed that parents of swimmers and other supporters here could not get tickets for the swimming.

"The only problem we have here is that swimming is sold out and nobody can get tickets. Parents who are here to watch and other supporters cannot get tickets. Zara's mother is here and Alia's mother is coming too. What the officials are telling me is that everything is sold out," lamented Marsh.