Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington talks about her old swimming schedule, life with two children and meeting royalty
WORDS: SHELLEY SPADONI PHOTOS: GETTY, LICKERISH/PHIL TAYLOR, PA, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
GOING SWIMMINGLY
Rebecca Adlington still says humbly, “I’m just a girl from Mansfield.” But she’s a lot more than that – she’s one of Britain’s most celebrated Olympians after winning double Olympic gold in Beijing. The 34-year-old tells OK! she is happy to have left the intense pressure and scrutiny behind, having retired from competitive swimming aged 23. These days she enjoys an active but more simple life, but that’s not to say she doesn’t still have pinch-me moments thinking about everything she achieved.
Rebecca is as down-to-earth as they come when we chat to her, and a doting mum to her two children. She shares Albie, two, with her husband of two years, Andy Parsons, and Summer, eight, with her ex Harry Needs.
Giving us an insight into her busy family life, it’s no surprise when she tells us trips to the local swimming pool are a regular feature.
Here, the star talks about how she and the family are navigating their loss after her heartbreaking miscarriage last October at 20 weeks, and also about her upcoming presenting duties at this Summer’s Olympic games...
Hi, Rebecca. You’ve had a tough time recently. How are you feeling now?
I’m doing OK, thank you, but yes, after my miscarriage last October, physically and emotionally, the back end of last year was tough. We’ll never fully get over what happened, but Harper will always be part of our family. Even my two-year-old, Albie, tells people, “My sisters are Harper and Summer.” Her ashes are now in the house. We talk about her, she’ll always be part of our lives. I think you learn to find a way forward and to talk about her, without bursting into tears.
Albie and Summer are so adorable. Do they swim?
They go to swimming lessons and they love it. I take them to our local pool a lot. I live in a very small village where everyone knows each other and everyone’s chilled. We’re not serious about sport though – we want them to have fun. We’re very hands-on parents.
Do they watch you on TV?
Yes, though Albie doesn’t really get it. I only do live TV, so I’m never there to see their reactions. I always get little videos from Andy of Al
