Olympic medal glory for British swimmers

British swimmer Rebecca Adlington has won gold in the Olympic 400 metres freestyle final in Beijing. The teenager beat the USA's Katie Hoff by seven hundredths of a second, pipping her with virtually the last stroke in a thrilling finish. Great Britain team-mate Joanne Jackson took the bronze medal. Adlington, 19, from Mansfield, Notts, is the first British woman to win a medal since Sarah Hardcastle in Los Angeles in 1984. That was in the 800m freestyle, the event in which Adlington is ranked world number one. Jackson was third in a time of 4:03.52s as Britain matched their entire medal haul in the pool from Athens in one race. An ecstatic Adlington said: "I really didn't know what to expect going up there. To get a medal in the Olympics, I'm overwhelmed, I'm so pleased. "I've got to thank my family, they will be sat at home watching it on TV, thank you so much for watching. It's fantastic, we have come so far." Jemma Lowe's bid for Olympic glory in the 100m butterfly final ended in disappointment when she finished sixth in her first Olympic final. But Robbie Renwick enjoyed a fairytale run to the final of the 200m freestyle after missing out on a place in the semi-finals, then being handed a reprieve when another swimmer pulled out. The 20-year-old from Aberdeen took full advantage with a time of 1.47.07 to reach the final, finishing seventh in the fast second semi-final where Michael Phelps eased through in third. In diving, 14-year-old Tom Daley from Plymouth competes in the 10m synchronised event, with new partner Blake Aldridge. The teenager, the youngest member of Britain's Olympic squad, has become an overnight celebrity in China, where diving is one of the country's most popular sports.

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ITN | August 11, 2008

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