SEVEN-TIME CAC gold medallist Alia Atkinson has set her sights on reaching the 200-metre breaststroke semi-final at next month's 29th Olympiad in Beijing, China.

Seven-time CAC gold medallist Alia Atkinson, who will swim in her second Olympics next month, speaks with Nathan Brown, a member of Jamaica's coaching staff, at the National Stadium Pool yesterday morning. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

"I want to make (the) semi-finals. I know that for sure, then... everything else after that would just be a blessing," the affable Atkinson told the Observer prior to training at the National Stadium Pool yesterday.

The 19-year-old Pan American Games finalist (200m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke and 100m butterfly) in Brazil last year said she is working hard to shave five seconds off her national record and lifetime best of 2 minutes 31.23 seconds done in qualifying for her second Olympics.

Atkinson competed in the 50m Freestyle and 100m Breaststroke at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

"Considering (that) I was in the middle of training when I did that best time (and)... with the tapering and the things that I've been improving on, I hope that maybe I can drop five seconds," the Texas A&M University student reasoned.

"I'm looking for 2 (minutes) 26 (seconds), which would place me about top 16 because that time got third at the last Olympics (in Athens), so it's gotten a lot faster this year," added the 2005 nominee for Sports Woman of the Year.

"I need to get my legs stronger, so coming back in the race (last 50m), I don't tire-out as much," she added, noting that different stretches and exercises, in addition to gym workouts, should get her legs stronger.

In the meantime, Atkinson - who is competing at this weekend's 17th staging of the Caribbean island Swimming Championships - hopes to motivate young swimmers in the large 49-member Jamaican squad.

"I'm really just coming here to inspire the rest of the team, get them motivated, get them pumped... whatever I can do basically," she said.

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