Race Video is courtesy of Universal Sports Network, a SwimSwam partner.
As reported by SwimSwam’s Jared Anderson:
WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- 2012 World Champ: 1:03.52 – Ruta Meilutyte – Lithuania
- 2010 World Champ: 1:03.98 – Rebecca Soni – United States
- Meet Record:
1:03.52 -Ruta Meilutyte – Lithuania – 2012 - World Record: 1:02.36 – Ruta Meilutyte – Lithuania – 2012 AND Alia Atkinson – Jamaica – 2014
After semifinals, we were on World Record watch in this race, but were watching the wrong swimmer. With reigning world record-holder Ruta Meilutyte swimming from the top-seeded lane, it was actually Jamaican Alia Atkinson who took the gold, and she did it by stunningly tying Meilutyte’s world record in the event.
Meilutyte led at the halfway mark, going out in 29.10, but Atkinson closed in a hurry, going by the Lithuanian to win by a tenth in 1:02.36. Meilutyte finished in 1:02.46 and the two will now share the world record in the race, with the meet record going to Atkinson.
With all the drama up front, there was a bit of a gap to the bronze medalist, Moniek Nijhuis of the Netherlands. She went 1:04.03 to steal the last medal from China’s Shi Jinglin (1:04.52). Just behind were Australia’s Sally Hunter (1:04.82) and Danish 200-specialist Rikke Moller Pedersen (1:04.84).
It is not illegal and make sure that you look at ALL of the swimmers prior to comments like that. EVERY swimmer does that at the finish…. If you look at the finish again, you will see that the girl at the wall with her does the same thing.
Just be happy for her. Stop looking for reasons to hate. It’s hasty and it cannot possibly feel good.
Thank you very much for the clarification. I have been noticing MANY swimmers doing it in both the 2012 Olympics, 2013 World Champs, as well as at these Short Course Champs. This just happened to be my most recent observation of that kick. If the kick is perfectly legal then it is a huge congratulations to Atkinson.
Is it illegal to dolphin kick into the finish? because you can see Atkinson do it at 1:48
So blatant
That was an incredible race! And maybe the greatest reaction to a win ever? I can’t think of one better than this.
The shock on her face rivals Janet Evans’s reaction to her 400 free World Record at the ’88 Olympics in Seoul.
So happy for Alia Atkinson. Congrats
Wow – major breakout swim for Alia Atkinson – CONGRATS!!!