Rebecca Adlington

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.

She was the first woman to win swimming gold for Great Britain since Anita Lonsbrough in 1960.

Adlington was Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988, and the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908.

Rebecca Adlington (born 17 February 1989) is an English former competitive swimmer who specialised in freestyle events in international competition.

In 2005, Adlington's sister was affected by encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.

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 represented Great Britain in the 2008 Summer Olympics, competing in the 400-metre freestyle and 800-metre freestyle events.

She was also scheduled to swim in the 4×200-metre freestyle relay but was rested in the heat and the team failed to qualify for the final.

In the heats of the 400-metre 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, overtaking Katie Hoff of the United States in the last 20 metres.

In 2009, she was one of 94 from "the world of aquatics" to benefit from the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence award (AASE), intended to recognise potential elite athletes with the opportunity for integrated academic achievement whilst continuing with training for competition.

Adlington started swimming with Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club, and was selected for the Nottinghamshire County Elite Squad (Nova Centurion Swimming Club).

Adlington became an Ambassador of the Encephalitis Society in 2009, to help raise awareness of the illness.

In 2009, comedian Frankie Boyle was censured by the BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee for breaching guidelines by using "humiliating and offensive" remarks with "unnecessary innuendo" during a 2008 edition of Mock The Week broadcast on BBC 2, when he jibed at Adlington's appearance.

Adlington's mother criticised the BBC for making the ruling public, which had caused her daughter more distress.

In 2009, Adlington said she suffered with the expectation placed on her ahead of the World Aquatics Championships in Rome, and although she swam a personal best she won only bronze in the 400-metre freestyle.

She added a second bronze in the 4×200-metre freestyle.

In her favourite event, the 800-metre freestyle she gained fourth place.

She swam in local swimming leagues for Nottingham Leander Swimming Club, having taken part in the National Speedo 'B' Final in May 2010.

Adlington's great-uncle was Terry Adlington, former goalkeeper with Derby County.

and she is a keen Derby supporter.

Together with former sports personalities Steve Parry and Adrian Turner, Adlington is part of Total Swimming Group, a commercial group dedicated to providing coaching and leisure outlets.

JD Sports bought-in during 2022, acquiring a 60% stake.

Subsequent to COVID-19 lockdown and the energy crisis with 2021–2023 global energy crisis, Adlington joined with approximately 200 others forming a pressure group calling for the UK energy subsidy, the energy price cap ending by April 2023, to be continued to help the energy-hungry swimming pools to survive potential closures.

In 2010, Adlington won the 400-metre freestyle at the European Swimming Championships in Budapest but again failed to win a medal in her favoured 800-metre freestyle, finishing seventh.

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, continental championships and Commonwealth Games gold medals, although she did not win a set in any one event (never winning 400 metre freestyle gold at the World Championships, or 800 metre freestyle gold at the European championships).

Her sister recovered over time, but its impact inspired Adlington to say in 2012: "It made me more determined. It makes me train harder".

On 5 February 2013, Adlington retired from all competitive swimming, at the age of 23.

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.

Adlington was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where she attended The Brunts School.

In 2014, Adlington married former swimmer Harry Needs.

The couple had a daughter together, born in 2015.

In March 2016, Adlington announced her separation from Needs.

On 4 March 2021, Adlington and her boyfriend, Andy Parsons, announced the birth of their son.

She announced on 5 September 2021 that the couple had married.

In August 2022, she suffered a miscarriage and underwent emergency surgery.

In October 2023, Adlington announced she had a miscarriage and was given the news at the 20 week scan.

She gave birth to Harper on 20 October 2023, at Wythenshawe Hospital.