Rebecca Adlington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rebecca Adlington
OBE

Adlington in the Our Greatest Team Parade
Personal information
Born	(1989-02-17) 17 February 1989 (age 36) Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England
Height	5 ft 10 in (179 cm)
Weight	11 st 0 lb; 154 lb (70 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Nova Centurion
Coach	Bill 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 2008 Beijing 400 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 800 m freestyle Bronze 2012 London 400 m freestyle Bronze 2012 London 800 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 2011 Shanghai 800 m freestyle Silver 2011 Shanghai 400 m freestyle Bronze 2009 Rome 400 m freestyle Bronze 2009 Rome 4×200 m freestyle World Championships (SC) Gold 2008 Manchester 800 m freestyle Silver 2008 Manchester 4×200 m freestyle European Championships (LC) Gold 2010 Budapest 400 m freestyle Silver 2006 Budapest 800 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Budapest 4×200 m freestyle Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 2010 Delhi 400 m freestyle Gold 2010 Delhi 800 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Delhi 200 m freestyle Bronze 2010 Delhi 4×200 m freestyle

Rebecca Adlington OBE (born 17 February 1989) is a former competitive swimmer from England. She was an expert in freestyle and won many international medals.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she won two gold medals in the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle events. In the 800-metre final, she broke a world record that had stood for 19 years. Adlington became Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988. She was also the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she won bronze medals in both the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle events. On 5 February 2013, Adlington retired from competitive swimming at the age of 23. Since then, she has worked as a swimming expert for BBC television during the Olympics and other major events.

Early Life and Swimming Beginnings

Rebecca Adlington was born on 17 February 1989 in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. She attended The Brunts School in her hometown.

Adlington began her swimming journey at the Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club. She was later chosen for the Nottinghamshire County Elite Squad, which is part of the Nova Centurion Swimming Club. She also swam for the Nottingham Leander Swimming Club in local leagues.

Interestingly, her great-uncle, Terry Adlington, was a professional football goalkeeper for Derby County.

Competitive Swimming Career

Adlington's career was filled with exciting races and amazing achievements at the world's biggest sporting events.

2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Adlington represented Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She competed in the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle races.

On 11 August 2008, she won the gold medal in the 400-metre freestyle. She overtook American swimmer Katie Hoff in the final 20 metres to win. This made her the first British woman to win an Olympic swimming gold since 1960.

A few days later, she won another gold medal in the 800-metre freestyle. She didn't just win; she smashed the world record that had been set by Janet Evans 19 years earlier.

World and European Championships

In 2009, at the World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Adlington won a bronze medal in the 400-metre freestyle. She also earned a bronze as part of the 4×200-metre freestyle relay team.

At the 2010 European Championships in Budapest, she won gold in the 400-metre freestyle. She also took home a bronze medal with the 4×200-metre freestyle relay team.

In 2011, at the World Championships in Shanghai, Adlington won a gold medal in the 800-metre freestyle. She also won a silver medal in the 400-metre freestyle.

Commonwealth Games and 2012 London Olympics

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, Adlington won two gold medals in the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle events. She also won two bronze medals in the 200-metre freestyle and the 4×200-metre freestyle relay.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Adlington competed in front of her home crowd. She won a bronze medal in the 400-metre freestyle and another bronze in the 800-metre freestyle. After these games, she announced she would not compete in the 2016 Olympics.

Records and Personal Bests

During the 2008 Olympics, Adlington set a new world record in the 800-metre freestyle with a time of 8:14.10. This was a very special moment because the previous record was one of the longest-standing in swimming history.

Here are some of her best times in a 50-metre pool (long course):

Here are some of her best times in a 25-metre pool (short course):

Honours and Recognition

Adlington on an open-top bus in her hometown of Mansfield after her Olympic success in 2008.

The Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre, named in her honour.

The official opening of the swimming centre in 2010.

After her success in the 2008 Olympics, Adlington was celebrated as a hero in her hometown of Mansfield. Thousands of people came out to cheer for her during a parade.

She has received many awards for her achievements:

• In 2008, she was named Sportswoman of the Year by the Sports Journalists' Association.
• She came third in the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
• In 2009, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by The Queen.
• The swimming pool in Mansfield where she used to train was renamed the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre in 2010.
• A high-speed train and a tram in Nottingham were also named after her.

Life After Swimming

After retiring from swimming, Adlington has stayed involved in sports and media.

Television Work

Adlington is a familiar face on television. She often works for the BBC as a swimming expert during major events like the Olympic Games and World Championships.

She has also appeared on several TV shows. In 2013, she was a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, where she finished in 6th place. She has also been a guest on shows like A League of Their Own and Celebrity MasterChef.

Business and Coaching

Adlington is part of a group called Total Swimming Group. Along with other former athletes, she works to provide swimming coaching and build new pools. The group aims to make swimming accessible to more people across the country.

Personal Life

In 2005, Adlington's sister became ill with encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain. Seeing her sister recover made Adlington even more determined to succeed in her swimming career. She is now an Ambassador for the Encephalitis Society, helping to raise awareness about the illness.

In 2014, Adlington married former swimmer Harry Needs. They have a daughter who was born in 2015. The couple announced their separation in 2016.

On 4 March 2021, Adlington and her partner, Andy Parsons, had a son. They got married on 5 September 2021. In August 2022, she had a serious health issue and needed emergency surgery. In October 2023, she shared the sad news of losing a baby during pregnancy.

In 2025, she shared that she had been diagnosed with Coeliac disease.

See also

In Spanish: Rebecca Adlington para niños

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)
• List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (women)
• World record progression 800 metres freestyle