Gerald Hector welcomes Olympian Alia Atkinson to It's Easy Son

The HBCU Nation Radio Show

Jamaican, Alia Atkinson is a four {5} time Olympian and a myth buster. She is the first person of color to achieve a Swimming World Title! Alia’s indomitable spirit – After the 2012 Olympics Games, Alia felt that she had more to offer the sport of swimming and continued her training at the SOFLO Swim Club with Coach Christopher Anderson Jr. During the next four years she broke the Commonwealth Games record, won her first World Championship Title, tied and broke world records several times along with making history as the 1 st person of colour {regardless of gender} to hold a World Record. She will tell you emphatically that this would not have been possible without her supportive sponsors, coaches and family. In 2016 Alia made her 2 nd consecutive Olympic final as well as defended her World Championship Title and tied her previous world record {another rarity} Alia went on to creating WATABOUND, her way of giving back to not only her community, but all athletes including minorities in the sport that may have a difficult path ahead of them as she did. Doing swim clinics and still swimming, Alia went on to break the 50 short course meter breaststroke world record twice in 2016 and 2018. After her fifth Olympics Alia looked back on her career and realized she did everything she wanted to do in the sport and was content in retiring at the age of 33. In addition to her successful swimming career, Alia who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology as well as a minor in English, writes children’s short stories and is looking forward to them being published as well as her autobiography that deals with her obstacles and challenges throughout her long career and personal tips for young athletes. Alia sits on the World Aquatic Bureau and holds the Chair for the Athlete Committee She is also the Global Ambassador for Special Olympics and donates to the Jamaica Kidney Kids foundation. Alia was awarded the order of distinction from the Governor General of Jamaica, and an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies. Now focusing solely on swim clinics through her foundation AAN, WATABOUND is taking new strides to changing the sport of swimming through her experiences and building confidence of one swimmer at a time. Alia Atkinson OD, LLC