JANELLE ATKINSON, triple silver medallist at the Winnipeg Games returns to the Pan American Games pool today in a bid to increase the country's medal haul.
Also set to make a splash today are Alia Atkinson, Tamara Swaby and Angella Chuck. All will contest the 100m freestyle preliminaries and possibly the finals later in the evening.
Chuck, an experienced campaigner, spoke with The Gleaner about the swim team's expectations.
"We are looking to register some good times and possibly win some medals," said the 2002 CAC 200m freestyle champion.
Chuck said her first aim is to get into the final. "The Americans and the Canadians are very good but I am in great shape, better than I was then (CAC)," she said.
For her teammates, Chuck noted that although Janelle Atkinson is coming off knee surgery, she is also in good shape and should replicate her 1999 performances.
"I expect her to do well... and Alia a first timer at this level has just broken the 100m and 200m records and I think she will carry that form into these games."
She is also confident that Swaby, Paulson-Andrews and Wong will give of their best. Wong will take to the pool tomorrow in the 100m Butterfly while Andrews will contest the 200m Individual Medley on Friday.
Janelle Atkinson is the most accomplished of the swimmers. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics she placed fourth in the 400m freestyle as a 17-year old. At last year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, she won two individual bronze medals.
Alia Atkinson is set to follow her path. At the CARIFTA swim championship held in Kingston earlier this year, Alia turned in four record-breaking performances on her way to winning eight gold medals. She won the 50m freestyle (27.77 an age group record), 200m breaststroke (2:45.10 Carifta) , 200m Individual medley (2:31.73 Carifta), 100m breaststroke (1:15.25 Carifta), 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle and the 100m butterfly.
At the Commonwealth Games Jamaica's 4x100m team which included Swaby, Chuck, Janelle Atkinson and Mariana Chuck were sixth in 3:56.54 behind Australia. However, although Jamaica did not medal on that occasion, they eclipsed the country's previous record of 4:04.76.
Based on this result, Chuck is optimistic there is a medal for the taking in that event.
"America and Canada are ahead of us and we are on par with Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico so that third place is really up for grabs".
Meanwhile, yesterday saw Jamaica's hockey girls tasting yet another defeat at the games. The Michelle Holt's coached girls went down 0-4 to Central American and Caribbean champions Trinidad & Tobago. This means they will have to playoff for 7th and 8th spot.
In squash, Marlene West and Karen Anderson advanced to the second round after both did themselves justice by outdoing their Colombian opponents. West beat Isabel Restrepo 3-0, the same margin by which Anderson defeated Sylvia Angulo 3-0.
Today West is faced with the imposing task of beating No.1 seeded player Samantha Teran of Mexico while her teammate Anderson takes on No.2 seed Latasha Khan of US.
