JAMAICAN swimming ace Alia Atkinson won three gold medals and set a meet and Jamaican record on the opening day of the Canada Cup at the Etoicoke Olympium in Toronto on Friday night.

Representing South Florida Aquatic Club, the 24-year-old Atkinson clocked 1:04.69 for a new meet mark in the 100m breaststroke.

Now boasting the third fastest time in the new season and the 10th fastest of all time, Atkinson smashed the previous record of 1:05.52 set by 2006 World Short Course 100m breaststroke champion Tara Kirk of the United States.

In winning the event by more than two seconds, she erased her former national record of 1:06.05 done in the semis in Dubai two years ago.

Atkinson also won the 200m individual medley and the 50m freestyle, sending a strong warning for the December 12-16 World Short Course Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

She posted a personal best 2:11.71 for the medley gold and a career best 25.35 to top the freestyle.

A three-time Olympian, Atkinson was eighth in the 100m butterfly won by Noemi Thomas in 58.11. Atkinson swam 1:02.35 in the final.

The two-day Canada Cup ends tonight, with Atkinson to take part in the 50m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 100m individual medley, and 50m butterfly.

Another Jamaican competing in the Canada Cup, Dominic Walter, finished 32nd in the 400m freestyle in a time of 4:10.08. He will swim in the 1500m freestyle tonight.