BEIJING:

ALIA ATKINSON broke her own national record by almost two seconds but it was not enough to advance to the semi-finals of the women's 200 metres breaststroke at the Olympics yesterday. Sports Minister Olivia Grange watched from the stands, along with Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Mike Fennell, as Atkinson clocked two minutes, 29.53 seconds for second in heat two, behind Siow Yi Ting of Malaysia, 2:27.80. But she needed to have slashed at least two more seconds off her previous personal best of 2:31.28 to make the final 16.

The 19-year-old two-time Olympian, who had targeted a semi-final spot at this year's Games, described her failure to advance from the heats as a huge disappointment, but expressed some satisfaction at getting her personal best below 2:30.0.

"I felt strong coming back so that's a good thing," she said.

Atkinson, who had qualified for just one event here, will continue her fight to be at least in the last eight of an event at the Olympics and is already looking forward to London in 2012.

"My dream is to be on that stand," she said.

The Florida-based swimmer admitted she started slowly yesterday but said that was all a part of the plan.

"For the 200m breaststroke I can't really get into the stroke until the second 100m so my goal was not to rush it because if I did that I would 'die' in the second 100m," Atkinson said.

She was second of six after 50m but dropped to last at 100m. She roared back to second when they turned at the 150m marker but Ting, who also failed to advance, had grabbed the lead at the halfway stage and kept on strongly to post the victory.

Jevon Atkinson and Natasha Moodie, the other two members of the swim team here, will be in action today and tomorrow, respectively, in the 50 metres freestyle heats.

- Elton Tucker