Rebecca Adlington earns Women’s 800m freestyle gold: Day seven – British Gas Swimming Championships
Two-time Olympic champion, Rebecca Adlington of Nova Cent’n earned gold medal of the Women’s 800m freestyle on seventh day of the 2012 British Gas Swimming Championships at the London Aquatics Centre on Friday, March 9.
The British Championships is an eight-day tournament that serves as the selection trials for the upcoming 2012 London Olympic Games.
The 23-year-old Adlington, who won gold medals of 400m and 800m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, faced no trouble in defending her national title.
She stayed considerably ahead of Co Sheffield’s Eleanor Faulkner in the initial 200 metres of the discipline as she posted a time of 2 minutes and 01.51 seconds. She was followed by Faulkner, who stayed almost two seconds slower from her preceding swimmer
and clocked 2 minutes and 03.17 seconds.
With her persistent efforts, Adlington succeeded in enhancing her lead over her competitors in the next two rounds as she submitted a time of 4 minutes and 07.12 seconds. She remained 4.08 seconds ahead of Faulkner, who covered her first half of the swim
with the timing of 4 minutes and 11.20 seconds.
The same continued in second half of the race where Adlington extended her lead to almost six seconds and completed her 600 metres of the event in a time of 6 minutes and 13.24 seconds. She was trailed by Faulkner, who stayed 6.11 seconds apart from her
former swimmer and submitted a time of 6 minutes and 19.35 seconds.
With her continued efforts, Adlington gave no chance to her swimmers to fight back and proved her eligibility for the gold spot of the event by reporting a time of 8 minutes and 18.54 seconds. Her scintillating form placed her almost nine seconds ahead of
Faulkner, who captured silver medal of the discipline by clocking 8 minutes and 27.11 seconds.
The third spot of the race was seized by Keri-Anne Payne of Stockport Mo, who remained more than two body lengths behind her former finisher and produced an effort of 8 minutes and 34.12 seconds.
In addition, the arena went wild with the nerve-wrecking forms of all participants in the 800m discipline while the session ended after the conclusion of event.
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