Jamaica’s champion swimmer Alia Atkinson is optimistic that her achievements and continuous presence in the aquatic arena will serve as a great inspiration to the country’s next generation of swim stars.

Atkinson pointed out that the country has always been producing a number of outstanding swimmers with the ability to be better than their Caribbean counterparts and, by extension, to become a formidable force on the international circuit.

“Where we fall off is when these swimmers get to around 16, 17, and 18; they start to doubt whether or not they see themselves having a future in the sport as a successful athlete. This is because they lack the right inspiration to defy the odds and forge ahead.

“When you look at track and field, you see a Elaine Thompson, Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake or Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and many aspire to emulate these guys in that sport. So I am hoping that with me staying in swimming much longer and continue to build on my achievements, that it will motivate or encourage them to see that they are able to get to the point that I am at or beyond,” Atkinson told the Jamaica Observer, confirming that she has no plans of throwing in the towel just yet.

Atkinson, who has enjoyed a remarkable career which includes four Olympic Games appearances from 2004 to 2016, says she is aware that difficulties — financial or otherwise — have caused some swimmers to pull the plug on their career at a young age.

As such, she noted that it will take pure motivation from the media fraternity and sponsors, as well as a demonstration of faith and determination on the part of the swimmers, to keep Jamaica’s banner in aquatics flying after her departure.

“Right now we have numerous swimmers where we could have a 16-member team instead of just the two that we had at Olympics last year. We have a lot of swimmers with potential and that is great, but it can only take you so far.

“Without the media or the finances and, by extension, a big support team outside of your family to say yes you can do it, then that number could dwindle down to one or two swimmers that make it past 18 successfully,” Atkinson noted.

She continued: “So what they should be doing now is look at the collegiate athletes who are making the transition.

“These are swimmers who are getting better and are doing the times to the get to international level to help bring the sport to a new era. They (swimmers) need help during college and a little bit after college as well to help lay that platform.”

Atkinson, 29, who currently holds the World Short-course record for the 50- and 100-metre breaststroke of 28.64 seconds and 1:02.36 minutes, respectively, firmly believes that a lack of organisation on the part of the relevant association also has a negative effect at times.

“You are on a team and you are going to college and you know that Commonwealth Games is coming up and they (the association) tell you nothing. January and February you hear nothing, and in March is when you hear that you are on the team.

“Any athlete who has to figure out their academic schedule, their life schedule and to taper themselves need to know months in advance when to taper down. You need to have a plan; you need to know a year out what you are doing,” she argued.

“In order for us to have a steady team every single year, we need to decide that this is the team from about a year out and we need to nurture them for a specific meet. If we can do that, then you will find that we will have multiple swimmers, multiple finalists, and hopefully medallists at every single meet,” added Atkinson, who became the first black woman to win a world swimming title in 2014.

Finally, Jamaica’s darling of the pool says she is keeping an eye out for six potential candidates to join her and Timothy Wynter in the pool at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.

These are English-born Kelsie Campbell and Michael Gunner, Keanan Dols, Justin Plaschka, Breanna Roman, and Sidrell Williams.