Alia Atkinson had another sensational year in the pool in 2018. First The National Sportswoman of the Year and Jamaica flag bearer earned Jamaica’s first medal in the Commonwealth Games with silver in the 50 metres breaststroke. Then at the CAC Games in Colombia Atkinson took three gold medals, with two, the 100 metres breaststroke and the 50 metres butterfly moth in Games Record times.

During FINA World Cup Atkinson dominated in the 25 metre pool. In five meets she won three gold and two silver medals in the 100 metres breaststroke and all five in a clean sweep of the 50 metres breaststroke. In the process she set a world leading time for the short course 100 metres breaststroke in Signapore with a time of one minute 02.74 seconds and broke her own short course world Record in the 50 metres breaststroke with a time of 28.56 seconds in Budapest.

Atkinson’s eight gold medals in the 2018 series took her lifetime tally at the FINA World Cup to 68 gold medals, making her fourth on the all-time list of gold medallists. she finished the year in a blaze of glory winning two gold medals (the 50 metre and 100 metre breaststroke competitions) and earning bronze in the 100 metres individual medley at the FINA Swimming World Championships (25m).