SOME 361 swimmers from seven clubs will take part in the 16th three-day LIME-sponsored Karl Dalhouse Swim Meet, now a FINA qualifying world championship meet, beginning this evening at 5:00 at the National Stadium Pool.

Olympian Alia Atkinson will take the spotlight as she returns to a full schedule of local competitive swimming for the first time in 10 years.

The 22-year-old Atkinson, who won four gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico last year, will take part in six events at Karl Dalhouse, the first meet of the year on the local calendar.

Meet director Dr Brian James said Atkinson, who holds seven national records, will compete in six events — 100m butterfly, 400m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 50m freestyle, and 200m individual medley.

While all eyes will be on Atkinson, who finished 25th in the 200m breaststroke at the 2008 Olympic Games, and eighth in the 50m breastroke at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Dr James rolled out other attractions at the meet sponsored by telecommunications company LIME to the tune of $500,000.

He pointed to overseas-based Victorio Ho and Kendese Nangle and local girl Alexis Royal Senior who are all eager to kick-start their season in a year which includes CARIFTA Swimming Championships in Barbados in April and CCCAN Championships in the Dominican Republic in late June to early July.

As Atkinson eyes the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China in July this year, Dr James believes the boys 13-14 age group will be very competitive, particularly with Kevaughn Campbell moving up to that category for the first time this season and Timothy Wynter ready to establish himself.

Other swimmers such as Ivana Chang, Leanne Masters, Priscille McLure, and Joseph Black are all likely to dominate their events and age groups at Karl Dalhouse.

On Saturday, the morning session starts 8:30 and evening session at 4:00, with the meet ending on Sunday after the lone session gets underway at 9:00 am.