Timeline: Rebecca Adlington

Rebecca Adlington retires

Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has confirmed that she will retire from competitive swimming.

• Born on 17th February 1989 in Mansfield.

• Joined Nova Centurian swimming club at the age of 12 where she met her long term coach Bill Furniss.

• Adlington has won titles at Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth level making her the most successful British swimmer of the modern era.

Rebecca Adlington at the London 2012 Victory Parade for Team GB and Paralympics GB athletes through central London Credit: Paul Gilham/PA Wire

• Adlington's victory in the 2008 Olympic 800m freestyle final broke swimming’s longest standing world record with a time of 8:14.10.

• Adlington became the first British swimmer to win more than one gold medal at a single Olympic Gamers since Henry Taylor in 1908.

Last updated Mon 21 Jul 2014