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Adlington swims to Olympic double in 2008
Rebecca Adlington rules out competing at 2016 Olympics in Rio
Double Beijing Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has said she will not compete at Rio in 2016.
Rebecca Adlington“If I were to race in Glasgow it would be in the 200m and 400m but definitely not the 800m. I'm done with that distance”
And the 23-year-old is still pondering whether to compete in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in two years' time.
"Rio is out of reach. I'll be 27 then, and swimming, especially for distance swimmers, is a young person's game," Adlington told the Mail on Sunday.
However, her mother Kay and her agent said Adlington has not made a final decision about competing in Brazil.
Adlington won freestyle gold over 400m and 800m in Beijing in 2008.
She won bronze in both events at London 2012, where she was beaten by 15-year-old American Katie Ledecky in the 800m freestyle.
As well as the Commonwealth Games, where she is considering racing over 200m, the Mansfield swimmer must also decide whether she will target a place in the GB team at next year's World Championships in Barcelona.
Adlington beaten by 15-year-old at London 2012
"If I was a sprinter then I would go to Rio. But I don't have an ounce of sprinting in me," she added.
"If I were to race in Glasgow - and that's an if - then it would be in the 200m and 400m but definitely not the 800m. I'm done with that distance.
"I'd like to be in Rio, though, even if I'm just a fan. Hopefully I can be a bit more than that, like a mentor, or have some kind of official or unofficial role with the British swimming team."
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Comment number 101.
Bubonic24th September 2012 - 10:33
I'm not sure that some of the posters here appreciate the full time, 100% commitment, strain on families and relationships, complete focus to the exclusion of everything else that Olympic athletes sign up for in preparation for a games.
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Comment number 100.
Bradford24th September 2012 - 9:40
Always impressed by her straightforward open and honest approach as much as her swimming ability.
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Comment number 99.
John194824th September 2012 - 7:56
What nasty people there are around. They forget that you win by beating the competition that is around at that time. According to their logic you are only a true great if you are the world record holder. They are probably the same trolls who would say that a world record holder was a drugs cheat.
Rebecca, you won. Maybe you have other hopes for your life and want to start working on them.
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Comment number 98.
Gerry24th September 2012 - 0:20
Adlington appears to have made a rash decision on the back of, in her own mind, desperately dissapointing results. I was shocked to see how badly she took her performances in London. It would not be the greatest of surprises if, after a couple of years out, she feels she has unfinished business and has a burning desire to cement her legacy in Rio.
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Comment number 97.
Rodneys Uncle23rd September 2012 - 23:24
Adlington knows how she far she can push herself and clearly feels another 4 years is too much. I'd hate any competitor, including Adlington, to look back on her last Olympics race with the same feelings as Pendleton did. By making this decision Adlington has allowed British Swimming to support emerging talent for 4 years rather than taking resources based on past results as others have done.
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Comments 5 of 101