Adlington admits relief after 800m freestyle event is saved

REBECCA Adlington has admitted her relief that she will be able to defend her 800m freestyle title at London 2012.

ON GUARD: Rebecca Adlington is primed and ready to defend her 800m freestyle title, after last week's International Olympic Committee decision

The double Olympic champion, who also won the 400m freestyle in Beijing, has been sweating on the future of her favourite 16-length endurance event.

Officials from world governing body Fina had wanted to upgrade the race to 1500m, bringing the women's programme in line with the men's schedule.

But a meeting of the International Olympic Committee last week ratified no changes until Rio 2016 at the earliest.

"I'm pleased, it's a really good thing because I love the race but I still don't know if I will be competing yet, I need to qualify," said Adlington, who missed out on a medal over the distance at this year's World Championships in Rome.

"It's a great event, with so much tradition associated with it. I didn't think it was fair that the programme be altered in the middle of an Olympic cycle and I'm glad everyone agreed.

"If the change is going to be made in the future it should happen straight after an Olympics, to give competitors the longest time possible to prepare.

"If they had changed it to 1500m I probably wouldn't have competed in that because, now that I'm getting older, it's very hard to move up to an event.

"It's much better to move down and do shorter distances. If I did the 1500m I might have had to limit myself to that event. If I'd move down I'd be able to the 4x200m relay as well as the 200m and 400m freestyle.

"Because I don't do open water events it would have been difficult for me to move up."

Adlington is among the star names at this week's British Gas Duel in the Pool in Manchester, where a European select team take on the best of America, including Michael Phelps.

And she's vowed to bounce back from her disappointments in Rome - where she won two bronzes, over 400m freestyle and as part of the 4x200m relay team.

"It's the last event of a long hard season and I'm looking forward to it," she added.

"It's going to be unlike anything we've ever done before but that is why it's so exciting.

"It's been a very different year to 2008 but I've still learned a lot from it and next year is a big season with the Commonwealths in October."