Team GB's Rebecca grabs second gold

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The 19-year-old from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, finished the race seconds ahead of the rest of the field, breaking one of swimming's most illustrious world records in the process.

Adlington's time of 8:14.10 was 2.12s under Janet Evans' 19-year-old world record as she added gold in the 800m to the gold she won in the 400m freestyle earlier in the week.

Hugging her victorious team-mate, Cassie Patten, who finished eighth, turned to the television cameras and said: "The Queen, if you're watching - Dame Rebecca Adlington."

The double gold makes Adlington the most successful British swimmer since Henry Taylor won three gold medals in the London Games in 1908.

Adlington was six seconds clear of Italy's Alessia Filippi who took silver and Lotte Friis of Denmark the bronze.

She said: "It's so nice when you work so hard and it pays off. I wasn't expecting that. I am so pleased.

"I knew it would be tough and I was expecting a battle but when I knew I was clear I felt I could go for the time."

She added she now planned to spend time out of the pool with her boyfriend and family.

Her victory came minutes after American swimming star Michael Phelps took his seventh gold of the Games in the 100m butterfly, equalling Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Games.