The two-time world gold medallist clocked a time of 1min 6.83sec to beat nearest challenger Byanca Melissa Rodriguez Villanuev of Mexico by a margin of 0.97 seconds at the Aquatic Complex.

Her time sliced 1.16 seconds off the previous Games record, set by Rodriguez Villanuev in today’s heats.

Atkinson’s time of 1:10.25 had previously stood as the Games record and was registered at the 2010 edition in Mayagüez in Puerto Rico.

Mexico’s Esther Gonzalez Medina was the women’s 100m breaststroke bronze medallist in 1:10.60.

Hosts Colombia also won two gold medals in the pool today with Jonathan David Gómez Noriega and Isabella Arcila Hurtado topping the respective men’s 200m butterfly and women’s 50m backstroke podiums in Games record times.

Gómez Noriega triumphed in 1:57.03 with Mexico’s Hector Ruvalcaba Cruz second in 1:59.13 and Cuba’s Luis Emigdio Vega Torres third in 1:59.23.

Arcila Hurtado prevailed in 28.11 and was followed in the standings by Mexico’s Maria Fernanda Gonzalez Ramirez, second in 28.57, and Guadeloupe’s Mathilde Laura Jean, third in 28.60.

Colombia finished today at the top of the overall medal standings with 10 golds in all.

Four of their other victories came in weightlifting with Ana Iris Segura winning the women’s 48 kilograms snatch and clean and jerk events, Carlos Andres Berna coming out on top in the men’s 56kg clean and jerk, and Francisco Mosquera tasting victory in the men’s 62kg snatch.

There were also gold medals for Rodrigo Contreras Pinzon in the men’s road cycling individual time trial, Diana Pineda in the women’s 1m springboard diving event, and Andrea Ramirez V. in the women’s under-46kg taekwondo competition.

Completing Colombia’s list of wins was that in the men’s team artistic gymnastics event.

The home nation also won seven silvers and five bronzes for a total of 22. 

Mexico are second in the medal standings with six golds, seven silvers and 10 bronzes, while the Dominican Republic are third with two golds, three silvers and three bronzes.