Rebecca Adlington
Encyclopedia
Rebecca "Becky" Adlington, OBE
, (born 17 February 1989) is an English and British freestyle
swimmer. She won two gold medal
s at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400 m and 800 m, breaking the 19 year-old world record of Janet Evans
in the 800 m final. Adlington is Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988, the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908 and Great Britain's most successful Olympic swimmer in 100 years.
, Nottinghamshire
, where she attended The Brunts School
.
She started swimming with Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club, and was selected for the Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad (Nova Centurion) where she currently trains. She still swims in local swimming leagues for Nottingham Leander Swimming Club, taking part in the National Speedo 'B' Final in May 2010. Adlington's great uncle is former Derby County
goalkeeper Terry Adlington
.
Adlington represented Great Britain
in the 2008 Summer Olympics
, competing in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle swimming events. She was also scheduled to swim in the 4×200 m freestyle relay
but was rested in the heat and the team failed to qualify for the final. In the heats of the 400 m freestyle, she broke the Commonwealth record
with a time of 4:02.24. On 11 August 2008 she won an Olympic gold medal in the same event, with a time of 4:03.22, beating Katie Hoff
of the United States in the last 20 m. She was the first woman to win swimming gold for Great Britain since Anita Lonsbrough in 1960
. She was the first British swimmer to win more than one gold medal at a single Olympic Games since Henry Taylor
won three in 1908.
In 2009 Adlington admitted she suffered with the expectation placed on her ahead of the World Swimming Championships in Rome and although she swam a personal best she was only able to win bronze in the 400m freestyle. She added a second bronze in the 4 x 200m freestyle.
In her favourite event, the 800m freestyle she was shut out of the medals in fourth.
In 2010 Adlington won the 400m freestyle at the European Swimming Championships in Budapest but again failed to win a medal in her 800m freestyle as she faded to seventh. She won bronze as part of the 4 x 200m freestyle relay team.
At the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi she won a "bonus" bronze medal in the 200m freestyle and was part of the English record setting 4 x 200m freestyle relay team that also won bronze. In the 800m freestyle Adlington led from start to finish to win her first Commonwealth Games gold medal. In the 400m freestyle Adlington won comfortably to earn a second gold medal and repeat her Olympic double. She ended the season ranked 2 at 400m freestyle and 1 at 800m freestyle. At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships
Adlington won the 800 metre freestyle gold medal, beating Lotte Friis
over the final 50 metres.
when Adlington was 6 months old. At the time, this was swimming's longest standing world record.
, where she began swimming as a child was renamed the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre when it reopened after refurbishment in January 2010. The Yates Bar
in Mansfield was renamed the Adlington Arms in her honour, although it soon reverted to its original name.
In November 2008, Adlington was named as the Sports Journalists' Association of Great Britain's Sportswoman of the Year, receiving her trophy at a ceremony in the City of London from HRH The Princess Royal
, herself a former winner of that award.
On 14 December 2008, she was voted third in the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award.
She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Short course (25 m)
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Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (born 17 February 1989) is an English and British freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
swimmer. She won two gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400 m and 800 m, breaking the 19 year-old world record of Janet Evans
Janet Evans
Janet Beth Evans is a American competitive swimmer who specializes in distance freestyle. She recently announced her comeback to the sport with intentions to swim in the 2012 Olympic Trials.-Biography:...
in the 800 m final. Adlington is Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988, the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908 and Great Britain's most successful Olympic swimmer in 100 years.
Background
Adlington was born in MansfieldMansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, where she attended The Brunts School
The Brunts School
The Brunts School is a large comprehensive school in north east Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in England. The school is designated as a Performing Arts College. It has previously been a Grammar School and a Technical School and traces its foundation back to a bequest by Samuel Brunts in 1709...
.
She started swimming with Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club, and was selected for the Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad (Nova Centurion) where she currently trains. She still swims in local swimming leagues for Nottingham Leander Swimming Club, taking part in the National Speedo 'B' Final in May 2010. Adlington's great uncle is former Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
goalkeeper Terry Adlington
Terry Adlington
Terry Adlington was an English professional football goalkeeper. He began his career in England, but ended it in the United States with the North American Soccer League.-Football career:...
.
Adlington represented Great Britain
Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Great Britain competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The United Kingdom was represented by the British Olympic Association , and the team of selected athletes was officially known as Team GB. Britain is one of only five NOCs to have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since 1896...
in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, competing in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle swimming events. She was also scheduled to swim in the 4×200 m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heats:-Final:...
but was rested in the heat and the team failed to qualify for the final. In the heats of the 400 m freestyle, she broke the Commonwealth record
Commonwealth records in swimming
Below is a list of current Commonwealth swimming records. This includes all countries that make up the Commonwealth of Nations. Of the 82 events, Australia currently holds records in 45 of them, Great Britain 15, South Africa 13, Canada 6, New Zealand 2, and Kenya...
with a time of 4:02.24. On 11 August 2008 she won an Olympic gold medal in the same event, with a time of 4:03.22, beating Katie Hoff
Katie Hoff
Kathryn "Katie" Elise Hoff is an American swimmer. Hoff is strongest in the 200 and 400 meter individual medley, though she is a very capable swimmer in many events, ranging from the four 200 meter events to the 800 meter freestyle...
of the United States in the last 20 m. She was the first woman to win swimming gold for Great Britain since Anita Lonsbrough in 1960
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
. She was the first British swimmer to win more than one gold medal at a single Olympic Games since Henry Taylor
Henry Taylor (swimmer)
Henry Taylor was a British freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1906 Summer Olympics, in the 1908 Summer Olympics, in the 1912 Summer Olympics, and in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He served in the Royal Navy during the First World War, and continued to swim competitively until 1926...
won three in 1908.
In 2009 Adlington admitted she suffered with the expectation placed on her ahead of the World Swimming Championships in Rome and although she swam a personal best she was only able to win bronze in the 400m freestyle. She added a second bronze in the 4 x 200m freestyle.
In her favourite event, the 800m freestyle she was shut out of the medals in fourth.
In 2010 Adlington won the 400m freestyle at the European Swimming Championships in Budapest but again failed to win a medal in her 800m freestyle as she faded to seventh. She won bronze as part of the 4 x 200m freestyle relay team.
At the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi she won a "bonus" bronze medal in the 200m freestyle and was part of the English record setting 4 x 200m freestyle relay team that also won bronze. In the 800m freestyle Adlington led from start to finish to win her first Commonwealth Games gold medal. In the 400m freestyle Adlington won comfortably to earn a second gold medal and repeat her Olympic double. She ended the season ranked 2 at 400m freestyle and 1 at 800m freestyle. At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships
2011 World Aquatics Championships
The 14th FINA World Championships were held at July 16–31, 2011 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. The 2011 World Championships featured five aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, open water, and synchronised swimming...
Adlington won the 800 metre freestyle gold medal, beating Lotte Friis
Lotte Friis
Lotte Friis is a Danish swimmer from Allerød.Finishing third in the 1500 metre freestyle competition at the European Championships 2008 in Eindhoven she won her first major long course medal. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, she won bronze in the 800 metre freestyle competition...
over the final 50 metres.
Records Set
Adlington set a new British, Commonwealth, European and Olympic record of 8:18.06 in the preliminary heats of the women's 800 metre freestyle on 14 August 2008. She went on to win the 800 m Olympic freestyle final on 16 August 2008 in a world record time of 8:14.10, her second gold of the tournament, a full six seconds ahead of the silver medalist, and two seconds ahead of the former world record which had been set by Janet EvansJanet Evans
Janet Beth Evans is a American competitive swimmer who specializes in distance freestyle. She recently announced her comeback to the sport with intentions to swim in the 2012 Olympic Trials.-Biography:...
when Adlington was 6 months old. At the time, this was swimming's longest standing world record.
Recognition
The Sherwood Swimming Baths in Adlington's hometown of MansfieldMansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
, where she began swimming as a child was renamed the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre when it reopened after refurbishment in January 2010. The Yates Bar
Yates's
Yates's is a pub chain, founded as Yates Wine Lodge in Oldham, in North West England by Peter and Simon Yates in 1884.-Business:There are over 70 Yates's pubs or bars in the United Kingdom however, there is no longer one in Oldham. The site of the original Yates' Wine Lodge is marked by a plaque on...
in Mansfield was renamed the Adlington Arms in her honour, although it soon reverted to its original name.
In November 2008, Adlington was named as the Sports Journalists' Association of Great Britain's Sportswoman of the Year, receiving her trophy at a ceremony in the City of London from HRH The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, herself a former winner of that award.
On 14 December 2008, she was voted third in the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award.
She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Personal bests and records held
Long course (50 m)Short course (25 m)
External links
- Official Rebecca Adlington Website
- British Olympic Association athlete profile
- British Swimming athlete profile
- British Swimming results and rankings database entry
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