Lyn pays tribute to idol Alia Atkinson after Olympic debut
PARIS, France — Fast-rising Jamaican swimmer Sabrina Lyn failed to qualify from the heats of the 50m freestyle at La Defense Arena yesterday but left determined to continue her quest to emulate her heroine and inspiration Alia Atkinson.
Lyn registered a time of 26.08 seconds to finish fifth in her heat, 29th overall out of the 79 starters.
It was below her best-ever time of 25.82, set at the Carifta Games in The Bahamas last April, and she reflected on a slower-than-desired start in a frenetic event during which there is no room for hesitation of any kind.
Drawn in lane six, she was always playing catch-up and completed the single length behind winner Jenjira Srisa-ard, from Thailand, and three others.
The 20-year-old, Kingston-born student was performing in front of an almost-capacity 15,000 audience at the vast, multipurpose venue — home to French Rugby Union giants Racing 69 and where the likes of pop superstars the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul McCartney have played.
She climbed out of the pool, constructed purely for the 33rd Olympiad, and summarised by saying, “This is definitely the biggest stage I’ve ever appeared on.
“I think I could have gone out faster over my first 20m but, other than that, it was a good race.
“All of my family, most of whom are still in Jamaica, came here to support me.
“My next competition for Jamaica will probably be the Pan American Games next summer.
“There are the Worlds in Budapest but I’m not sure that I’ll be able to make that, with college stuff going on.”
Lyn is studying animal science at Louisiana State University in the USA, with a view to becoming a veterinarian.
“I began swimming at about nine, and my first meet for Jamaica was Carifta eight years ago and it snowballed from there,” she said. “Alia [Atkinson — former World Champion and five times an Olympian] and my parents have been my great inspiration.
“Alia was at my first Carifta and the entire team was able to meet her. I guess I’ve grown up with her over the years.
“I’d love to follow in her footsteps, reaching more Olympics and winning World medals and stuff like that.”
Swedish world record holder Sarah Sjoestroem, 10 years Lyn’s senior, topped the qualifiers by winning heat 10 in 23.85 — just 24 hundredths of a second shy of her best-ever time.
