Byline: NATALIE EDWARDS
OLYMPIC heroine Rebecca Adlington today launches an emotional attack on critics who mock her image, telling them: 'Judge me on my swimming, not by my looks.'
The Team GB swimmer, who won two bronze medals at London 2012, spoke out after the Sunday Mirror exposed TV comic Frankie Boyle's cruel Twitter jibe in reference to her appearance.
As she prepared to defend her 400m and 800m titles, Boyle tweeted: 'I worry that Rebecca Adlington will have an unfair advantage in the swimming by possessing a dolphin's face.'
Three years earlier he said on TV's Mock the Week that she looked like 'someone looking at themselves in the back of a spoon'.
Hitting back at the Glaswegian's nasty quips, Rebecca said: 'I'm not trying to be a model.
'I'm fully aware that I'm not a pretty girl and I'm not stick thin. I know that I'm not attractive.
'I just want people to judge me on my swimming and not how I look.'
Rebecca doesn't find Boyle's near-the-knuckle gags funny, saying: 'I'm not a fan of his humour. I prefer the likes of Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr and Jason Manford.'
Despite her amazing achievements, Becky was hugely disappointed that at London 2012 she didn't repeat her success at Beijing 2008 when she won two gold medals. She admits the setback has left her reassessing her career.
Aged just 23, she thinks it unlikely she will compete at Rio 2016.
She said: 'Retirement always has to be a consideration every four years. Four years is a very, very long time to commit yourself to do all the hard work. I think the next Olympics might probably be a little out of reach.
'Our sport is very different and not like other sports where they go on into their thirties. Swimming is a young person's sport.
'Chris Hoy is in his mid-thirties and he keeps winning cycling medals - gold medals - but our sport is very different.
'We have been doing full-on training since we were 11 or 12 years old. You have to put in so much work which means your body can't take it as it gets older. It just shuts down as it needs the rest.'
MOTIVATION
Team GB finished third in the Olympics medal table, behind the USA and China. But Rebecca pointed out that it's hard for a country as small as Britain to compete.
She said: 'China and USA are always the countries who have the new young guys. We can't expect to be up there with them when they have got so much better facilities.
'They have got everything - everything is bigger and better.
'The thing is, our sport is very hard work and we are in 10 training sessions a week. It's not like I can have six months off and then get back in. You have to have the want and will to do it and I have had that in the past. My motivation has never been an issue for me but I have to think now whether anything is ever going to be as good as London.
'I've experienced the best of the best and I have to think whether anything is going to be as good. I'm just going to see how I feel after a couple of months off.'
If Becky, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, does decide to hang up her swimsuit she is considering making a move into broadcasting. 'I'd love to get into TV and do the commentary,' she said. 'I'd love to do the Sue Barker thing.
'At the same time I would like to try and stay within the sport. I'd love to inspire a younger age of swimmers.'
Speaking at a reception to launch the London Lifestyle Awards 2012 this week, Rebecca added: 'It's been an amazing few weeks. It's a bit sad that London 2012 is now over but we still have the Paralympics, which is always so inspiring.
'Obviously I was disappointed with my own performance. But at the same time I do have two bronze medals so I can't be too disappointed. It was an amazing atmosphere.
'I'm here in London until tomorrow but I can't wait to go home. I saw my parents for an hour when I finished but I haven't seen them since. My family are always so happy for me and so proud.'
She also opened up about her boyfriend of 14 months, Harry Needs. They train at the same swimming club in the Midlands.
She said: 'My boyfriend is a swimmer as well. There is never any competition between us because he's a sprinter and I'm a distance swimmer.
'He's only 20, bless him. If I ever mentioned marriage to him he'd be like, 'I'm only a baby'.'
CAPTION(S):
On crest of a wave Becky in swimsuit before the Games
