Rebecca Adlington optimistic about GB medal hopes at Rio 2016 Olympics
By Dev Trehan
Last Updated: 18/02/15 9:19am
Rebecca Adlington believes the spirit of togetherness in the Team GB swim team enhances their medal prospects at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Despite a record 23 British finalists in the pool during the last Olympics, only Adlington and Michael Jamieson medalled at London 2012, resulting in a 15 per cent cut in swimming funding ahead of Rio.
“I think British swimming is in absolutely amazing place, the best I have seen it in quite a few years,” Adlington told Sky Sports.
“From being on the team and knowing what the atmosphere is like I think there is a different mentality. It just seems to have changed a little bit. Everyone seems more focused.
“It’s not just about wanting to make the team any more, it’s about medalling and making that team. They’ve upped their game if you like. Obviously you had quite a few athletes (in the past) that really wanted to medal, whereas now everyone has that common goal and everyone wants to help each other and support each other.
“I think a lot of coaches and athletes are now using all their knowledge and experience and everything combined to say ‘how can we get better? If we work together and pass on our knowledge more and more Brits are going to be on the podium’.
“It’s nice to see them supporting each other in that way, it’s not so individualised anymore. We are looking at it as more of a team sport which I think we need.”
Adlington feels Britain has a good current crop of top-level young and experienced swimmers and thinks Adam Peaty, Siobhan Marie O’Connor, Fran Halsall and Michael Jamieson could all medal in Rio.
She said: “Adam Peaty, who swims in Derby, has just had the most incredible year at the Commonwealth Games, the European Championships and getting the 50m breaststroke world record on top of that.
“He’s been on it 100 per cent and I don’t see why - apart from illness and injury - he can’t medal. As long as he stays healthy I definitely think Adam will be up there.
“There are quite a few others in the mix like Siobhan-Marie O’Connor down in Bath who does so many different events that I couldn’t tell you what she might medal at. She’s got amazing skills. She’s really perfected her racing from when we saw her as this young girl in London.
“And then you’ve got some of the veterans I like to call them like Fran Halsall and Michael Jamieson. They’ll want to put their stamp on things.
“Fran has had a great year after bouncing back from London so that will be interesting. Michael has gone through a bit of injury after a disappointing Commonwealth Games – it wasn’t that bad but it wasn’t the result he wanted and I know the type of character Michael is.
“He is very determined and so mentally strong that he’ll be wanting to make another name for himself by saying ‘I’m back and I’m in the best shape possible – bring it on’.”