ALIA SECURES SILVER AS LONDON ROAR MOVE CLOSER TO MAKING ISL FINAL
Jamaica’s champion swimmer alia atkinson and her London Roar team are well on their way to contesting the final of the second edition of the international swimming League (isl), following a spirited start to their semi-final in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday.
Atkinson’s London Roar team, which is determined to claim the overall title at the five-week competition in the Central European country, are inching ever closer to accomplishing the feat, as they only need to have another good day in the pool at the Duna Arena to make safe their spot in the showpiece.
By all indication, the Melanie Marshall-coached London Roar and defending champions Energy Standard are set for an intriguing finish today, the second and final day of their semi-final battle, after completing day one action with a mere 21-point gap between them.
After 20 of the 39 events to be contested, Energy Standard lead the way on 291 points, ahead of London Roar (270 points), with Tokyo Frog Kings (208 points) and NY Breakers (114 points), having a huge mountain to climb if they are to upstage the top two for a spot in the final.
Like she did in their final preliminary match a few days ago, Atkinson kicked off proceedings in record-breaking style as she again lowered the national 100 metre butterfly record. She clocked 57.13 seconds for seventh, lowering the 57.21 seconds, which she set then, while earning two points for her team.
Energy Standard’s Sara Sjostrom (55.14s), Marrie Wattel (56.09s) of London Roar and Anastasiya Shkurdai (56.40s), also of Energy Standard, were the top three finishers.
Atkinson returned minutes later to secure silver in the 50m breaststroke and extended her consistent run of sub-30 second performances with a 29.30 clocking to add seven points to her tally. She was again beaten by an Energy Standard standout in Benedetta
Pilato, who won in 28.86 seconds, with Tokyo Frog Kings’ Reona Aoki (29.81s) in third.
Atkinson, 31, then wrapped up her day in the pool with another silver medal performance, this time in the women’s 4X100m medley relay.
The four-time Olympian teamed up with Kira Toussaint, Wattel and Freya Anderson, clocking 3:46.59, behind the fearsome Energy Standard team of
Emily Seebohm, Pilato, Madeline Banic and Sjostrom, who won in 3:45.58. Energy Standard’s B team was third in 3:50.22.
With 12.5 points to her name so far, Atkinson ended the day in 22nd position on the Match Most Valuable Player (MVP) standings.
Over 300 of the world’s best swimmers from over 50 countries formed the 10 teams that are competing for over US$6 million in prize money during the condensed, five-week event.
The top-two teams from each semi-final will battle it out in the final scheduled for November 21 and 22.
In the second semi-final set to start later today and end on Monday, the undefeated Cali Condors will go up against ISL newbies Toronto Titans, hometown heroes Team Iron and the ever-threatening LA Current.