Rebecca Adlington OBE — British Olympic Swimmer & Career 2026
Rebecca Adlington OBE is a British Olympic swimmer born on 17 February 1989 in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. She won two gold medals at Beijing 2008 in the 400m and 800m freestyle, setting world records in both. Her estimated net worth is £5-8 million from her swimming career, media work, and business ventures.
Key Facts About Rebecca Adlington
| Full Name | Rebecca Adlington |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 February 1989, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Olympic Swimmer, Television Presenter |
| Net Worth | £5-8 million from her swimming career, media work, and business ventures |
| Honours | OBE |
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Sarah Jones is a senior writer at Photodaily covering UK celebrity profiles, film and television news, and entertainment culture. She verifies facts against public records, credited interviews, and official releases before publication. Her reporting focuses on British actors, Royal Family updates, and trending celebrity stories with accuracy and context.
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How many gold medals did Rebecca Adlington win? Rebecca Adlington won two Olympic gold medals at Beijing 2008 in the 400m freestyle (4:03.22) and 800m freestyle (8:14.10), plus two bronze medals in the same events at London 2012.
Rebecca Adlington, OBE, is an English former competitive swimmer who competed internationally, specializing in freestyle events. She was born on February 17, 1989. In the 800-meter freestyle and 400-meter freestyle events at the 2008 Summer Olympics, she took home two gold medals and broke Janet Evans' 19-year-old world record. Rebecca Adlington became the first swimmer from Britain to win two gold medals at the Olympics since 1908 and the country's first Olympic swimmer since 1988. She earned bronze in the women's 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London after her maiden World Championship gold in the 800 meters in 2011 and silver in the 400 meters at the same tournament. Adlington is among the select few who have won gold medals in the Olympic games, World Championships, Continental Championships, and Commonwealth Games, despite never taking first place in any one event (never taking first place in the 800- or 400-meter freestyle events at the European or world Championships). 
At 23, Adlington announced her retirement from all competitive swimming on February 5, 2013. She has made several media appearances and served as a swimming analyst for BBC TV at the Olympic Games and World Aquatics Championships after finishing her swimmer career. Adlington is one of many former athletes who created a business entity offering leisure and coaching services.
Facts about Rebecca Adlington
Name Rebecca Adlington First Name Rebecca Last Name Adlington Occupation Swimmer Birthday February 17 Birth Year 1989 Place of Birth Mansfield Birth Country England Net Worth £5–8 million
Early Life and Education
Adlington went to The Brunts School in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where she was born. She was one of 94 athletes from "the world of aquatics" to receive the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence award (AASE) in 2009. The AASE aims to identify outstanding athletes who can excel academically while pursuing competitive training. Adlington began swimming with the Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club and was chosen for the Nova Centurion Swimming Club, the Nottinghamshire County Elite Squad. She competed in the National Speedo' B' Final in May 2010 and raced for Nottingham Leander Swimming Club in local competitions. Terry Adlington was Adlington's great-uncle, a former Derby County goalkeeper, and she is a devoted follower of Derby.
