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British swimming has become a force on the international stage thanks to the 2012 Olympics being awarded to London, the Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington believes. It has had a galvanising effect on her and her team-mates, she said.
The 20-year-old had an astonishing Olympic debut last year in Beijing when she came away with two gold medals and a new world record. Jo Jackson, Cassie Patten, Keri-Anne Payne and David Davies also won medals and Britain was well represented in finals.
Since then, Jackson has broken the 400m freestyle world record – since reclaimed by Federica Pellegrini – while British swimmers are a regular feature in the upper echelons of the world rankings.
Adlington believes hosting the Games has been a driving force behind Britain’s success and continued improvement. “It is all people talk about,” she said. “This year has gone so quickly already, it’s not four years anymore, it’s three years and that is just going to get quicker and quicker. It’s going to come round in no time.
“You are going to have to keep it on your mind. The Olympics is the biggest thing you aim for anyway, let alone a home Olympics. It’s completely different, everyone is just so excited for it. I think that is why in Britain we have moved on so much this year because we are aware the Olympics is coming up.”
The Mansfield swimmer says she has visited the Olympics site in London several times. “I can’t believe how much they have done already,” she said. “I can fully see where things are going to be. You can see the stadium taking shape and you can see where the pool is going to be and where the roof is getting put on. And you’re like – ‘What? We’ve got three years still to go.”‘
Adlington, who hopes to swim all the freestyle events from 200m-800m in the capital as well as the 4x200m relay, believes one of the major benefits of hosting the Games will be the inspiring effect of the crowd. “A home crowd is brilliant, it lifts everybody up,” she added. “You can tell that just from when you looked back in the history of where things have been that the nation always seems to raise their game, it always happens.”
Adlington maintains that the positive effects of London 2012 will outweigh any negatives. “I think they are right with comments that it is very expensive for our country, especially with the recession,” she continued. “It is expensive but at the end of the day what you gain from an Olympics in your home country and the pride you feel to represent GB in your home country I think will lift the whole nation.”
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