Rebecca Adlington

Rebecca Adlington
OBE
Adlington in the Our Greatest Team Parade
Personal information
Full nameRebecca Adlington
National team Great Britain
Born (1989-02-17) 17 February 1989 (age 35)
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England
Height5 ft 10 in (179 cm)[1]
Weight11 st 0 lb; 154 lb (70 kg)[1]
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubNova Centurion
CoachBill Furniss
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  Great Britain
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 2 0 2
World Championships (LC) 1 1 2
World Championships (SC) 1 1 0
European Championships (LC) 1 1 1
Commonwealth Games 2 0 2
Total 7 3 7
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 400 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London 400 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London 800 m freestyle
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shanghai 800 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2011 Shanghai 400 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Rome 400 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Rome 4×200 m freestyle
World Championships (SC)
Gold medal – first place 2008 Manchester 800 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2008 Manchester 4×200 m freestyle
European Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2010 Budapest 400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2006 Budapest 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Budapest 4×200 m freestyle
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 400 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi 800 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi 200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi 4×200 m freestyle

Rebecca Adlington OBE (born 17 February 1989) is an English former competitive swimmer who specialised in freestyle events in international competition. She won two gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 400-metre freestyle and 800-metre freestyle, breaking the 19-year-old world record of Janet Evans in the 800-metre final. Adlington was Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988, and the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908.[2] After winning her first World Championship gold over 800 metres in 2011, along with silver in the 400 metres at the same meet, she won bronze medals in both the women's 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle events in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Adlington is one of the few people to have won Olympic Games, World Championships, European championships and Commonwealth Games gold medals.

On 5 February 2013, Adlington retired from all competitive swimming at the age of 23.[3] Since retiring as a competitor, she has worked for BBC TV as a swimming pundit at the Olympic Games and World Aquatics Championships, and made various other media appearances. Adlington is also one of a number of former sports stars behind a commercial group dedicated to providing coaching and leisure outlets.

  1. ^ a b "Rebecca Adlington's profile at the Olympic Games 2012 official site". London2012.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  2. ^ "Video review – Adlington is GB's golden girl". BBC Sport. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  3. ^ "Rebecca Adlington: Time right to retire from swimming". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 February 2013.