Adlington back to her best in Sheffield

Posted: Thursday 19th March 2009 | 19:35

REBECCA Adlington admits she has struggled with the demands of fame since her double gold in Beijing.

Adlington admits the fame got to her despite claiming 800m gold
RELIEF: Rebecca Adlington displays relief at winning 800m freestyle in Sheffield (Getty Images)

But she was back to her best as she secured the 800m freestyle title at the British Gas national championships and a place at this summer's World Championships in Rome.

Such are the expectations on the 20-year old that there probably won't be sponsors waiting with new cars and designer shoes after this performance at Ponds Forge.

But her 8.18.86 time was still the fifth fastest of all-time and the quickest in the world this year - maintaining her position as swimming's undisputed queen of distance swimming.

Adlington took a lead from the start, opening up clear water over her nearest rivals Jazmin Carlin and Keri-anne Payne after just 200 metres.

But she was never inside the 8.14.10 world record pace she set when claiming gold at the Water Cube last summer.

"I just wanted to give it a solid swim and I'm really surprised and pleased with the time," said Adlington, who settled for silver in the 400m freestyle earlier this week behind new world record holder Jo Jackson.

"My fitness isn't quite where I want it to be, I've not been able to do the hard work in training that I have in the past.

"I just wanted a performance that would give me a base to work on towards the World Championships and I've done that."

Adlington only recently returned to hard training under the fatherly influence of Nova Centurion coach Bill Furniss.

But the real hard work starts now - although she'll still need to qualify for the 400m freestyle in Rome at the Scottish Championships this June.

"Overall, it's been a good week," she added.

"I've had to start from scratch after Beijing, following such a long rest.

"However, I need to push on from this and the 800m is my number one focus for the World Championships.

"My last World Championships was pretty disappointing so I want to forget that.

"It's also an outdoor meet, which I love, and the weather will be boiling hot, which is also great.

"Some people swim really well after Olympic year and some don't, so it's going to be a different championships in many ways.

"I'm hoping to get in there and show I can still do it."

Adlington's double gold has certainly changed the face of British Swimming, which now boasts a big name sponsor in British Gas, keen to attach the golden glow of her success to their brand.

In addition it seems to have inspired a wave of talent even younger than Adlington's own tender 20 years.

Alongside Jackson's stunning performance, Ellen Gandy, just 17, rewrote the 200m butterfly European record yesterday while fellow teenager Hannah Miley erased a nine-year old European mark in claiming the 200m medley.

"I hope I've been an inspiration," she said. "There are so many brilliant young girls coming through the ranks to keep all us ‘older' girls focused. It's a great sport to be part of at the moment with so much success around."

RYAN BANGS in Sheffield