Background
Atkinson was born in Saint Andrew, Surrey, Jamaica in 1982.
Atkinson was born in Saint Andrew, Surrey, Jamaica in 1982.
Atkinson represented Jamaica at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, where she finished fourth in the 400-metre freestyle and ninth in the 800-metre freestyle.
At the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Atkinson was a three-time silver medalist, finishing third in each of the 200-, 400- and 800-metre freestyle events. She also competed in the 200-metre freestyle and 400-metre freestyle for the Jamaican team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She was named Jamaica"s Swimmer of the Year seven consecutive times from 1997 to 2003.
Contrary to popular belief, Janelle is not related to Alia Atkinson who ironically is also a Jamaican swimmer.
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 (National Collegiate Athletic Association) competition from 2001 to 2004. 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. Foreign the four years prior to accepting the UConn job, she served as an assistant swimming coach at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
She also served as the head coach of the Jamaican women"s national team at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships.