Alia Atkinson rocking a Bob Marley swimsuit.. Big up Cedella Marley!!

Jamaican swimmer Alia Atkinson is through to the finals of the 100m breaststroke at the London Olympics.

She confirmed her place following a swim-off with Canada's Tera Van Beilen a short while ago.

Atkinson became the first Jamaican swimmer to win a heat at the Olympics Games, after swimming to a national record 1:07.39 in heat three of the competition inside London’s Aquatics Centre.

“The time wasn’t good so I knew I had more (energy),” she said.

“My mother told me that in order to make each step, you have to get a ‘best time’ each time and I never did for the second swim, so I had to do it for the swim-off,” she said. “It was a lesson.”

Atkinson also says although she was frustrated upon hearing that she had to do a swim-off, following her fourth place in semi-final one, she is now thankful she had to do it.

“If I never got that swim then I’d be going in (to the finals) with the knowledge that I can only do 1:07,” she said.

Atkinson also said she would be going into the finals thinking that she would have to rush the race, which might have hurt her chances.

But the swim-off has taught her to be more relaxed.

Alia will swim from lane eight for the finals scheduled for tomorrow.