Staff WriterAlia Atkinson nets four gold at Big 12 Jamaica and Texas A and M sophomore. Alia Atkinson had a phenomenal week at the Big 12 swimming championships from February 27 – March 1 at the Jamail Texas Swimming Centre in Austin, Texas winning four gold medals in the 400 medley relay, the 200 medley, the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke events all in NCAA automatic qualifying times.
The defending champion in both breaststroke events from last year she split the fastest breaststroke leg of all competitors as the Aggies took the 400 medley in 3:35.53 easily under the NCAA A standard of 3:38.02. Her split in that relay was 1:00.59 (1:09.64 LCM Long course metres). In the shorter medley relay the 200 she again had the fastest split clocking 27.95 (32.13) as her team powered to 1:38.76 under the automatic time of 1:39.44. In the individual breaststroke events she proved why she now rules this stroke in this conference as she took the 100 in 1:00.68(1:09.75) over a second win in a sprint event.
The 200 breaststroke was even more devastating as she took title by over three seconds touching in 2:11.77(2:30.08). When she stepped outside of her kingdom of breaststroke she proved to be not as dominant but still a worthy challenger as she clocked 54.18 (1:01.72) for fourth a NCAA consideration time .She swam an exhibition 50 free in a consideration time of 23.21 (26.65).
Texas A and M won their second consecutive title amassing 967 points. Results can be viewed at this address http://www.tsc.utexas.edu/results/index.htm Alia receiving her gold medal in the 200 breaststroke (taken from the Big 12 photo gallery) Contributed by Anthony Morrison-Vincent
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