Atkinson - File

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil:

SWIMMER Alia Atkinson advanced to her second final at the XV Pan American Games here yesterday.

Atkinson, who missed out on a medal when she finished seventh (1:02.92) in yesterday's women's 100m butterfly final, quickly put that behind to place fourth in semi-final two of the 100m breaststroke. Her time of one minute, 13.01 seconds was seventh overall.

The 18-year-old was a bit disappointed with her performance in the 100m butterfly final as she had hoped to go under the national record of 1:02.40 she set on Tuesday. "This is the worst time I have had for the event in the three days but it is still a good time as it is my third best," Atkinson said.

Smash national record

She promised to smash her national record of 1:10.95 in this morning's breaststroke final.

"I am really going for that," she said.

Atkinson will, however, have to go much faster if she hopes to be among the medals. Canada's Pan American record holder for the event, Annamay Pierse, won the Jamaican's semi-final in 1:08.27 with American Michelle McKeenhan second in 1:10.34. The first semi-final went to another American, Elizabeth Tinnon, in 1:09.99.

In yesterday's evening session, a personal best 2:10.42 lifted 16-year-old Natasha Moodie into today's women's 200m freestyle semi-finals. Moodie, who had earlier this week reached the semi-finals of the 50m freestyle, was sixth in heat three and 15th overall.

Jonathan Wong swam in his only event at the Games, the men's 200m freestyle, and placed eighth in heat two and clocked 1:59.81, more than two seconds above his best time of 1:57.44.

Today, Brad Hamilton, who broke his own national men's 100m butterfly record with a 57.07 second clocking on Sunday, will compete in the 200m butterfly heats.

In cycling, Ricardo Lynch will attempt to shrug off his below-par showing in the men's match sprint when he competes in the keirin first round this afternoon. The final will also be held today.

- E.T.