Rebecca Adlington OBE is Great Britain’s most successful ever swimmer.
Becky is Great Britain’s most successful ever swimmer. She became a household name following her double Olympic Gold medal winning performance at the Beijing Games in August 2008 and her unique blend of charisma and charm, along with her dedication and professionalism in the pool, has made her a role model for female athletes around the world. In honour of her achievements, Rebecca was awarded an OBE in 2009. Becky’s drive and thirst for success meant that she won a medal in each of the Olympic finals she swam.
A four-time Olympic medallist in the 400m and 800m Freestyle, she won two Gold medals in Beijing 2008 and two Bronze medals in London 2012. Rebecca announced her retirement from elite swimming in 2013 and has since undertaken numerous roles in swimming commentary and punditry. A mainstay for the BBC’s coverage of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2015 World Championships, the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2013, 2015 and 2017 World Championships in Budapest, and the 2018 European Championships in Glasgow, Becky is an articulate and respected media presenter and keynote speaker. She also commentated and presented in the inaugural International Swimming League in 2019.
Following her retirement Becky announced a vision for her legacy: Becky Adlington’s Swim Stars – a swimming initiative with the goal that every child in Britain will be able to swim 25 metres by the time they leave primary school. Her famous drive is channelled into this vision and Becky Adlington’s Swim Stars is now the fastest growing high profile learn to swim company in the country. Becky has a daughter and is expecting her second baby in early 2021.
Becky is an ambassador of the Encephalitis Society, a national charity and the only resource of its kind in the world supporting people affected by the illness. In June 2016, Becky became a Patron of Women in Sport to help support the charity’s work in transforming sport for the benefit of every woman and girl in the UK.