BUDAPEST 2010: Adlington primed to put 2009 woes behind her

By Ryan Bangs. Sportsbeat

BITTEN last year, Rebecca Adlington is twice shy about her prospects at the European Championships next week - but the formbook suggests the double Olympic champion is the one to beat in Budapest.

IN DEMAND: Rebecca Adlington was dazzled by the spotlight last year but this year has been a different story (Getty Images)

Indeed, Adlington has been in dominant form this season, showing her pedigree at the British Championships, Scottish Championships and in the Mare Nostrum series.

And she currently tops the world rankings in the 800m freestyle - the event in which she won the second of her two Olympic medals in Beijing and in which she is the world record holder.

It marks a significant contrast for the 21-year-old who was dazzled by the limelight upon her return from the Far East, spent more time in high heels than goggles and paid the price in 2009.

At last year's World Championships, Adlington departed Rome a forlorn figure. She made a teary exit from the Eternal City, having failed to reproduce her Olympic form as she was forced to settle for two bronze medals and leave the 800m empty-handed.

In Adlington's defence, the pressure on her shoulders was burgeoning but this year she has not made the same mistakes and she appears somewhere back to her best as she prepares to resume her battle with Italy's Federica Pellegrini over 400m - the other event in which she won Beijing gold.

Not that Adlington is expecting any rich pickings in Hungary.

"I am feeling much better in the pool and I think that is because I got that block of work in early on," said Adlington, who won European 800m silver four years ago.

"After the Olympics I didn't have that block of endurance training and I don't regret it and I don't want it to come across like I am moaning because I wouldn't have changed it.

"I wanted to do it that way, it was a once in a lifetime thing but I missed out on the endurance training and that is why it all suffered a little bit."