Swimmer Adlington to make announcement on future

Britain’s Rebecca Adlington poses on the podium after winning bronze in the women’s 800m freestyle final during the swimming event at the London Olympics on August 3, 2012. Double Olympic champion Adlington has revealed that she will make a “major announcement” at a press conference next Tuesday, amid rumours she has decided to retire from swimming.

LONDON - Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has revealed that she will make a “major announcement” at a press conference next Tuesday, amid rumours she has decided to retire from swimming.

The 23-year-old won two gold medals at the Beijing Games in 2008 but could only muster two bronze medals at London 2012 as Britain’s swimmers picked up a disappointing three medals.

Adlington has also been critical of governing body British Swimming in recent months and has questioned why the organisation is yet to appoint a replacement for Dennis Pursley, who stepped down as head coach after the London Games.

“Why is it taking so long? We’ve been dying for them to appoint a head coach for months,” she said.

“Surely, that would make more sense for the head coach to be appointed before the review (of performances at the Olympic Games), even if it was just one who said: ‘Look, this is semi-permanent, you might want to continue after the review but you might help us until then making these decisions.’

“A lot of us don’t know who we are going to at the moment. Who do we speak to? It’s awful what’s been going on.”

Adlington has already announced that she will not compete at the Rio Olympics in 2016, although she has hinted that she could be persuaded to take part in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

“The Commonwealth games in Glasgow would be an amazing opportunity and another home crowd,” said Adlington, who is an ambassador for the event.

“There is something about the atmosphere at the Comms. It is very friendly. I was so honoured when I was asked to be an ambassador for Glasgow.

“I still want to be a part of swimming. If it’s not me on podium, I want to be a mentor for the young kids coming though.”