AUDIO: It was a lesson, says Alia after swim-off win

Jamaican swimmer Alia Atkinson has regarded her swim-off win against Canadian Tera Van Beilen as a lesson.



Atkinson clocked 1:06.79 in the swim-off with the Canadian to advance to the 100m breast stroke finals scheduled for tomorrow.



The swim-off became necessary because Atkinson had tied with Van Beilen for fourth place in semi-final one, which also meant a tie for the eighth position in the finals.



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“The time wasn’t good so I knew I had more (energy),” she said.



“My mother told me that in order to make each step, you have to get a ‘best time’ each time and I never did for the second swim, so I had to do it for the swim-off,” she said. “It was a lesson.”



Atkinson also says although she was frustrated upon hearing that she had to do a swim-off, following her fourth place in semi-final one, she is now thankful she had to do it.



“If I never got that swim then I’d be going in (to the finals) with the knowledge that I can only do 1:07,” she said.



Atkinson also said she would be going into the finals thinking that she would have to rush the race, which might have hurt her chances.



But the swim-off has taught her to be more relaxed.



Alia will swim from lane eight for the finals scheduled for tomorrow.



sports@gleanerjm.com