Rebecca Adlington going for a hat trick at London 2012 Olympic Games
Last updated 30/06/2009 08:46:32
Rebecca Adlington going for a hat trick at London 2010 Olympic Games
Rebecca Adlington is set to become the first British woman to win three gold medals at the same Olympics after storming to the 200 metres freestyle title at the Scottish Championships.
The Beijing Olympic 400m and 800m champion went almost two seconds quicker than she had managed this season to snatch one of the two women's 200m places on Britain's team for the World Championships in Rome next month – a place she will almost certainly sacrifice.
The 20-year-old Mansfield girl won in 1min 57.15sec in Glasgow's but insisted after the race she is not ready to challenge the elite yet in Rome next month.
She is therefore likely to give up her hard won place in the event to Caitlin McClatchey, whose time from March's British Championship she surpassed.
Adlington said: "I won't probably race it [the 200m] at the worlds. My 800 is still my best event and I'd really love to do the four by two.
"That's kind of the one where we all get the team together and it's just a brilliant event.
"I think, the 200, I've still got a lot of work to go to be able to get a good world-class time up against the other girls in the world.
"Hopefully in the next year I can improve on it."
Significantly Aldington's personal best of 1:56.66 is still some way short of Federica Pellegrino's world record of 1:54.47 which is waiting to be ratified.
She said: "The 200 is still a bonus for me. I would love to race it come the London Olympics. "
Read more about the London 2012 Olympic Games