Trailblazer Alia Atkinson makes swimming history

Alia Atkinson admitted she embraces being a role model with her outstanding achievement in competitive swimming.

The Jamaican swimmer made history by becoming the first black female world champion in the sport when she took home the 100m breaststroke at the world short-course championships in Doha on Saturday. Atkinson claimed the title by equalling Ruta Meilutyte's world record of 1min 02.36sec in the final. Under the rules set by the governing body FINA, this means that she will also hold the world record. THe 25-year-old explained to AFP that the win completely took her by surprise.

I couldn't believe it! It came down to the same thing as the 50 and on the 50 I got out-touched so in my mind I went straight back to that. I just thought 'oh OK' and looked up at the board and it didn't really click yet and then it really started to click. It took a while!

Atkinson works with the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Florida to encourage more people from different communities to take part in the sport. She is hopeful that her incredible victory will help inspire people from countries that don't have a particularly strong competitive swimming culture to enter the pool and blaze their own trail.

Hopefully my face will come out, there will be more popularity especially in Jamaica and the Caribbean and we'll see more of a rise and hopefully in the future we will see a push.

Hat-tip to the Telegraph