Jamaican and Caribbean swimming icon Alia Atkinson virtually achieved everything in the sport except a medal at the Olympics. However, reflecting on her 20-year career, she’s not only content but proud of her journey at the Olympics.

Throughout her two-decade career, the 35-year-old broke several short course world records, including the 100m breaststroke which she still holds to this day. She’s also won several major titles and medals at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan American Games.

Ever since her debut at the 2004 Olympic Games as a 15-year-old, Atkinson created history by becoming the only Caribbean woman to compete at five Summer Olympic Games after appearances in Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.

However, the three-time national sportswoman of the year was unable to get on the podium, coming closest in 2012 when she finished fourth in the 100m breaststroke. She also made the final in 2016 but finished eighth.

Despite not getting the elusive medal, Atkinson says it doesn’t define her and she’s proud of her accomplishments.

“I decided to really work on myself, so making the [Olympic] ‘B’ cuts, changing that into the ‘A’ automatic cuts, trying to get into finals and get a medal in every competition, and I got that, except for the Olympics,” she told the Jamaica Observer. “Considering I did all that except for the Olympics, it really brought me down and humbled me to say, ‘Alia, you did your best,’ and nobody can say I didn’t fight for all those years.

“It’s where my story ended up and that’s okay. That’s what I really wanted to show these kids, like all our stories are going to be different and it’s okay if our paths are different, just make sure you fight all the way through and hold on to that goal and hope that you have what you want to accomplish at the end of your journey.”

Atkinson is back at the Olympics in Paris, not as a competitor but as chairperson for World Aquatics’ Athletes Committee where she will act as a representative to aquatic athletes competing at the Games.

Natasha Moodie, who competed for Jamaica in the 50m freestyle, will also be in the French Capital, and Atkinson is looking forward to them enjoying the spectacle as supporters instead of athletes.

“It’s really cool, because both of us will be able to come back with rose-coloured glasses and be like, ‘This is so much fun,’ rather than going in with, ‘We need to practice, we can’t really sightsee, we need to do this all the way up to competition,” she said. “Now we’re able to just enjoy the experience and see what the Olympic spirit and movement is about and see it as a spectator, seeing what all the excitement and hype is.

“I’m very excited now to play that secondary role. I’m a supporter now, I’m here to watch Josh [Kirlew] and Sabrina [Lyn] and see what they can do; I’m here to support Yona [Knight-Wisdom] in his last Olympics, supposedly, and I can now be a fan instead of just a teammate or an athlete, and it’s a completely different role and perspective.”

Since retiring in 2021, Atkinson has been consistently engaging in mental coaching, and in 2023, she published her book, Day One, Not One Day, which serves as a guide for athletes to improve their mental preparation in their respective sports.

She says her passion for positively impacting athletes’ lives has motivated her to continue her efforts.

“I hoped that when I retired, I’d be able to have more speeches, more mental workshops and being able to really help the athlete,” she said. “We need to be able to have more opportunities for them to be able to train their mental strength in every capacity, so when they’re at the world stage and see big names beside them, they don’t make themselves feel smaller but big up themselves, which is what we need in competitions.

“The response from the book is fantastic. I’ve been able to talk to people from all over the world who bought it and enjoyed. My idea and my goal is to continue to produce different workbooks, help athletes in whatever capacity I can, because I really love to talk to athletes and know what their stories are, and seeing what I can help with or bring new perspectives of what they’re going through and see if I can help in any way.”