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Rebecca Adlington hits out at lack of London swimming pools
Matthew Beard, Olympics Editor5 Aug 2009
Swimmer Rebecca Adlington says the lack of top-class pools to train in London means she would not have achieved double Olympic gold had she been brought up in the capital.
Swimmers from London clubs have consistently underperformed in recent Olympics and Adlington, from Mansfield, believes she would have been no exception as the capital has only one indoor 50-metre Olympic pool - at Crystal Palace.
The 20-year-old said: "If I had grown up in London, I would have struggled to achieve what I have.
"I don't think it would be possible given the lack of facilities. I was lucky to have two 25-metre pools when I was growing up."
She was speaking at the opening of a 12-metre mobile pool on the South Bank yesterday, following the world championships in Rome where she won bronze in the 400m freestyle and 4x200m relay but finished a shock fourth in the 800m freestyle.
She believes the future is brighter for London swimming due to the £300m aquatics centre being built for the London Olympics.
Reader views (3)
Yes, spending £300m somewhere in East london will certainly benefit those of us living near Heathrow who are paying for it.
- David, Teddington, 05/08/2009 18:11
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Rebecca, well said, but unfortunately that has been a problem for the last 20 years...
Just like running tracks, only 2 in east london and of course we are having the olmypics, so how can we trai our athletes
- Adrian, london, 05/08/2009 14:23
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Whatever happened to just taking part?
- Peter Bench, London, 05/08/2009 13:28
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