Jamaica's Alia Atkinson eyes the scoreboard after winning her heat in the 100m freestyle at the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships at the National Stadium Pool yesterday. Last night, Atkinson won the final in a meet record 57.81 seconds.

LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Olympian Alia Atkinson nabbed two gold medals for Jamaica last night at the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC) at the National Stadium Pool as the hosts ended the first day of swimming action with seven medals.

Jamaica could have won more medals last night had it not been for thunderstorms which forced the organisers to end the meet early.

Atkinson, who will compete in her second Olympics next month in China, won the girls' 18 and over 50m butterfly and the 100m freestyle.

She won the 50m butterfly in a national record of 28.06 seconds, comfortably ahead of the Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) pair of Sharntell McLean (28.40) and Kimba Collymore (28.94). That victory came shortly after she won the 100m freestyle in a meet record of 57.81 seconds, bettering the previous mark of 57.96. Cuba's Heysi Villarreal was second in 58.41 and T&T's McLean was third in 58.51.

record-breaking form

Brad Hamilton was also in record-breaking form, winning the boys 18 and over 50m butterfly in a national record of 25.96 seconds. Cuba 's David Rodriguez (26.01) and Jamaica's Ramon James (26.06) won the silver and bronze respectively.

Breanna Roman, competing in the girls 11-12 100m freestyle, added to the medal tally with another gold medal performance, winning in 1:01.86. Puerto Rico's Barbara Caraballo was second in 1:02.33 and Aruba's Ally Ponson was third 1:04.50

Earlier, Jonathan Wong won silver and Julian Wynter-Anderson bronze in the boys' 18 and over 400m individual medley (IM). Grenada's Martin Renwick won gold 5:00.03, while Wong was second in 5:08.70 and Wynter-Anderson timed 5:20.55.

Jamaica's Danielle Boothe won bronze in the girls' 11-12 200m IM in 2:37.39. Caraballo was way ahead of the field as she won gold in 2:31.78, while Barbados' Zebrina Holder took the silver in 2:37.07. Octivia Gray was seventh in 2:51.12.

Caraballo had earlier set a meet record of 2:31.20 in her heat. Boothe (1:16.37) was also fifth in the 11-12 100m backstroke, which was won by Barbados' Deandre Small (1:14.22). Stefani Webley was seventh in 1:19.08.

Jamaica's national technical director of swimming, Jackie Walter, was elated with the first-day performance.

"I'm feeling very pleased not only because of the medals but the two national records," said Walter last night.

In water polo action, Jamaica's 15 and under girls' team edged Puerto Rico 10-8, but that was the only win on the day for the hosts as they were hammered 28-1 by Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) in the boys' 15 and under category and lost 12-7 to the Dominican Republic in the boys' 17 and under group.

T&T were also big winners against The Bahamas in the boys' 18 and over, dishing out a 22-1 thrashing, while their 17 and under girls' team beat the Netherland Antilles 13-4.

On Thursday, Jamaica's 18 and over boys team started with a bang, crushing Barbados 15-5. Trinidad's 17 and under boys' team were also 5-1 winners against Puerto Rico on Thursday.