Black swimmer makes history at world championships

Paul Gittings, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 4:56 PM EST, Sun December 7, 2014
A look of disbelief is etched on the face of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/07/sport/swimming-atkinson-world-first/index.html" target="_blank">Alia Atkinson after she claims gold in the women's 100m breaststroke </a>at the world short course swimming championships in Qatar. The win made her the first black woman swimmer to claim the world title. Click through the gallery for more female sports firsts:
Women sports pioneers —
A look of disbelief is etched on the face of Alia Atkinson after she claims gold in the women's 100m breaststroke at the world short course swimming championships in Qatar. The win made her the first black woman swimmer to claim the world title. Click through the gallery for more female sports firsts:
Francois Nel/Getty Images
<a href="https://g.co/doodle/7x8w2n" target="_blank" target="_blank">Google</a> has honored American tennis legend Althea Gibson with one of its famous <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/04/living/google-doodles-diversity/index.html">doodles</a> on what would have been her 87th birthday, August 25. Gibson became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam event at the French Open in 1956. She went on to win at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Women sports pioneers —
Google has honored American tennis legend Althea Gibson with one of its famous doodles on what would have been her 87th birthday, August 25. Gibson became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam event at the French Open in 1956. She went on to win at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/20/living/mone-davis-baseball-sensation-impact-girls-parents/index.html">Mo'ne Davis</a>, 13, is the first girl to throw a shutout in the Little League World Series, the sixth to get a hit in World Series history and the first Little Leaguer make the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Women sports pioneers —
Mo'ne Davis, 13, is the first girl to throw a shutout in the Little League World Series, the sixth to get a hit in World Series history and the first Little Leaguer make the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
A former point guard for California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, Violet Palmer became the first female NBA referee in 1997.
Women sports pioneers —
A former point guard for California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, Violet Palmer became the first female NBA referee in 1997.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Former WNBA player Becky Hammon accepted a position as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, making her the first full-time, paid female assistant on an NBA coaching staff.
Women sports pioneers —
Former WNBA player Becky Hammon accepted a position as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, making her the first full-time, paid female assistant on an NBA coaching staff.
Bahram Mark Sobhani/AP
Sprinter Wilma Rudolph was the first U.S. woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics, during the 1960 Games in Rome.
Women sports pioneers —
Sprinter Wilma Rudolph was the first U.S. woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics, during the 1960 Games in Rome.
STAFF/AFP/Getty Images
Eri Yoshida, then 17, became the first woman to play professional baseball with men in Japan when she pitched in an independent league game in 2009.
Women sports pioneers —
Eri Yoshida, then 17, became the first woman to play professional baseball with men in Japan when she pitched in an independent league game in 2009.
STR/AFP/Getty Images
American golfer Babe Didrikson Zaharias was the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event during 1938's Los Angeles Open.
Women sports pioneers —
American golfer Babe Didrikson Zaharias was the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event during 1938's Los Angeles Open.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
In 1997, baseball player Ila Borders became the first woman to pitch in a regular-season professional game, for the St. Paul Saints.
Women sports pioneers —
In 1997, baseball player Ila Borders became the first woman to pitch in a regular-season professional game, for the St. Paul Saints.
J.D. Cuban/Getty Images
Canadian Manon Rheaume became the first woman to play in a regular-season professional hockey game in 1992 when she suited up for for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Women sports pioneers —
Canadian Manon Rheaume became the first woman to play in a regular-season professional hockey game in 1992 when she suited up for for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Rick Stewart/getty Images
Before Danica Patrick, there was Janet Guthrie. Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 back in 1977.
Women sports pioneers —
Before Danica Patrick, there was Janet Guthrie. Guthrie became the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 back in 1977.
staff/getty images
Toni Stone played shortstop for the Indianapolis Clowns of the National Negro Leagues. Pictured here circa 1950, Stone is believed to be the first women to suit up regularly for a professional baseball team.
Women sports pioneers —
Toni Stone played shortstop for the Indianapolis Clowns of the National Negro Leagues. Pictured here circa 1950, Stone is believed to be the first women to suit up regularly for a professional baseball team.
Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images
Julie Krone became the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she rode Colonial Affair to victory at the Belmont Stakes in 1993.
Women sports pioneers —
Julie Krone became the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she rode Colonial Affair to victory at the Belmont Stakes in 1993.
Robert Laberge/Getty Images
Shannon Eastin became first woman to officiate an NFL regular-season game in 2012.
Women sports pioneers —
Shannon Eastin became first woman to officiate an NFL regular-season game in 2012.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was one of the first two women admitted as a members to the Augusta National Golf Club in 2012.
Women sports pioneers —
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was one of the first two women admitted as a members to the Augusta National Golf Club in 2012.
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
Darla Moore, a South Carolina business executive, was granted membership to Augusta National Golf Club along with Rice.
Women sports pioneers —
Darla Moore, a South Carolina business executive, was granted membership to Augusta National Golf Club along with Rice.
JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
Cammi Granato (pictured) and Angela James were the first women nominated to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.
Women sports pioneers —
Cammi Granato (pictured) and Angela James were the first women nominated to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Canada's Angela James, left, checks Germany's Elvira Saager during the Women's World Hockey Championships in Ottawa in 2010.
Women sports pioneers —
Canada's Angela James, left, checks Germany's Elvira Saager during the Women's World Hockey Championships in Ottawa in 2010.
Frank Gunn/the canadian press/ap
Negro League Newark Eagles baseball team owner Effa Manley poses with bats in the dugout in Ruppert Stadium in Newark, New Jersey, in 1948. Manley was the first woman elected and inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Women sports pioneers —
Negro League Newark Eagles baseball team owner Effa Manley poses with bats in the dugout in Ruppert Stadium in Newark, New Jersey, in 1948. Manley was the first woman elected and inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images
Basketball standout Ann Meyers Drysdale was the first woman to earn a full athletic scholarship from University of California-Los Angeles. She was offered a free-agent contract with the NBA's Indiana Pacers in 1979 -- unprecedented for a female player.
Women sports pioneers —
Basketball standout Ann Meyers Drysdale was the first woman to earn a full athletic scholarship from University of California-Los Angeles. She was offered a free-agent contract with the NBA's Indiana Pacers in 1979 -- unprecedented for a female player.
courtesy UCLA
Women sports pioneers

Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook

Story highlights

Alia Atkinson of Jamaica wins gold medal at swimming world championships

Atkinson takes 100m breaststroke title at short course champs in Doha

Equals world record for the distance held by Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte

First black woman swimmer to claim world title

CNN  — 

The look of total surprise on her face said it all.

Alia Atkinson went into the final of the 100m breaststroke at the world short course swimming championships very much as the second favorite to Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania.

But in a big upset the 25-year-old from Jamaica snatched victory on the final stroke from Meilutyte and with it made swimming history.

Not only had she equaled Meiluyte’s world best but also became the first swimmer black woman to claim a world title in the pool.

“I realized I was catching up so I was just trying to get a good finish,” she told the official FINA website.

“I’m not used to seeing my name up in number one so it was kind of a shock, but a good one!”

17-year-old Meilutyte, who trains in England, had led going down the final length of the 25-meter pool, looking set to complete the 50-100m double, until Atkinson’s late charge.

The winning time of one minute 2.36 seconds left Atkinson 0.1 seconds ahead of her great rival, who claimed gold over 100m at the London Olympics.

Atkinson, who was fourth in that final, has been steadily improving since claiming gold for Texas A&M at the 2010 NCAA championships.

It was also Jamaica’s first ever gold in world swimming championships and Atkinson had come close in the 50m final, losing out to Meilutyte on the touch.

The first black woman to hold a world record in the pool was Enith Brigitha of the Netherlands, some 40 years ago.

Brigitha also took bronze medals behind two East German winners in both the 100 and 200m freestyle events at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and won four bronze medals in the 1973 and 1975 world championships.