Janelle Atkinson
Encyclopedia
Janelle Anya Monique Atkinson-Wignall (born 30 September 1982) is a Jamaica
n freestyle
swimmer
who won three silver medal
s at the 1999 Pan American Games
.
Atkinson represented Jamaica at the 2000
and 2004 Olympics
. In 2000, she finished fourth in the 400-metre freestyle
and ninth in the 800-metre freestyle
.
She was named Jamaica's Swimmer of the Year seven consecutive times from 1997 to 2003.
Atkinson was born in Saint Andrew
, Surrey
, Jamaica
in 1982. She attended the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where she swam for coach Gregg Troy
's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) competition from 2001 to 2004. As a Gator swimmer, Atkinson won three Southeastern Conference
(SEC) championships (twice in the 500-yard freestyle and once in the 1,650-yard freestyle), and received ten All-American honors. She graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
in tourism and hospitality management in 2005.
Atkinson is currently an assistant swimming coach for the UConn Huskies women's swimming and diving team at the University of Connecticut
in Storrs, Connecticut
. For the four years prior to accepting the UConn job, she served as an assistant swimming coach at Wright State University
in Dayton, Ohio
.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
who won three silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
s at the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
.
Atkinson represented Jamaica at the 2000
Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, 32 swimming events were contested, between September 15–23, 2000. There was a total of 954 participants from 150 countries competing.-Medal table:-Men:...
and 2004 Olympics
Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place in the Olympic Aquatic Centre with the athletes competing in 32 events. There was a total of 937 participants from 152 countries competing.-Medal table:-Men's events:...
. In 2000, she finished fourth in the 400-metre freestyle
Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 400 metre freestyle
The final of the Women's 400 metres Freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held in Sydney, Australia, on September 17, 2000.-Final:-Qualification Heats:* Held on September 16, 2000. -References:*...
and ninth in the 800-metre freestyle
Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 800 metre freestyle
The final of the Women's 800 metres Freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held in Sydney, Australia, on September 22, 2000.-Final:-Non-Qualifiers:-References:*...
.
She was named Jamaica's Swimmer of the Year seven consecutive times from 1997 to 2003.
Atkinson was born in Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica
Saint Andrew is a parish, situated in the southeast of Jamaica in the county of Surrey. It lies north, west and east of Kingston, and stretches into the Blue Mountains and at the 2001 census had the highest population of all the parishes in Jamaica. The Right Excellent George William Gordon Saint...
, Surrey
Surrey, Jamaica
Surrey is the easternmost and the smallest by area of the three historic counties into which Jamaica is divided. It has no current-day administrative significance...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in 1982. She attended the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where she swam for coach Gregg Troy
Gregg Troy
Gregg Troy is an American college and Olympic swimming coach. He is the current head coach of the Florida Gators swimming and diving teams of the University of Florida; the Florida Gators compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Southeastern Conference . ...
's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) competition from 2001 to 2004. As a Gator swimmer, Atkinson won three Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) championships (twice in the 500-yard freestyle and once in the 1,650-yard freestyle), and received ten All-American honors. She graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in tourism and hospitality management in 2005.
Atkinson is currently an assistant swimming coach for the UConn Huskies women's swimming and diving team at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
in Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
. For the four years prior to accepting the UConn job, she served as an assistant swimming coach at Wright State University
Wright State University
Wright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,...
in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Jamaican records in swimming
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians