Features

A year ago Rebecca Adlington was a good club swimmer who was struggling with her health after contracting a very bad virus. 

Now she's just celebrated her 18th birthday and is in Australia for the World Championships.

The Mansfield girl puts her success down to the work with her coach, Bill Furniss. He, in turn, thinks she's got a real chance of medals in the next two Olympic Games.

"She is totally single-minded. Right from when I started coaching her at 12/13 years of age she'd got that personality trait. She knows where she wants to go and she'll pay the price, do the work, to get there."

Rebecca will compete in either the 400 or 800 metres at the Swimming World Championships which take place in Melbourne, Australia from Saturday 17 March to Sunday 1 April 2007.