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Adlington sets sights on GB medal

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Video - Adlington storms into final

Rebecca Adlington and Jo Jackson will aim to end British women's 24-year wait for a swimming medal when they race in Monday's 400m freestyle final.

Adlington set a new Commonwealth and British record of four minutes and 02.24 seconds to qualify second fastest while Jackson was fourth quickest.

Liam Tancock was sixth fastest in the 100m backstroke as all but one of the Britons made it through Sunday's heats.

The men's 4x100m team also shattered the national mark with 3.13.69.

Adlington was second in her heat, just touched out by Italian Federica Pellegrini, who set a new Olympic record as she finished just five-one hundredths of a second ahead, while Jo Jackson also swam a lifetime best of 4:03.8 in her race.

"I'm so tired after that but really happy, I wanted to improve my personal best which I have done," said Adlington. "I need to do a swim down, then return to the village and get as much rest as possible before the final."

In addition to Pellegrini, Katie Hoff of the United States and Laure Manadou of France will be the main rivals for medals.

I went out a bit too fast so will have to look at that. It's my first Olympics so it's exciting and I hit it hard.

Liam Tancock

In the women's 100m backstroke, Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry beat world record holder Natalie Coughlin of the United States into second place in her heat as she touched in 59.00 seconds dead, but both recorded new Games records.

Britain's Gemma Spofforth was the fourth-fastest qualifier in 60.11 while team-mate Lizzie Simmonds also reached the semi-finals with a personal best 60.35.

In the men's 200m freestyle, American star Michael Phelps was the fourth fastest qualifier behind Switzerland's Dominik Meichtry.

Britain's Ross Davenport went through as the 11th-fastest qualifier but compatriot Robbie Renwick missed out by one one-hundredth of second in 17th place.

In the women's 100m breaststroke Kate Haywood was the 11th-fastest qualifier, with Kirsty Balfour 14th.

Tancock, world record holder in the 50m, posted the sixth-fastest time in the 100m backstroke while Gregor Tait claimed the 16th and final berth in the semi-finals.

"I went out a bit too fast so will have to look at that," said Tancock. "It's my first Olympics so it's exciting and I hit it hard."

The relay team of Simon Burnett, Adam Brown, Ben Hockin and Davenport qualified eighth for the final, with Burnett setting a new British individual men's 100m freestyle record of 48.20 on the first leg.

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Video - Tancock and Tait reach semis




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Sunday, 24 August 2008 10:17 UK
RankCountryGoldSilverBronzeTOTAL
1also show each event results forUSA1291031
Men's 100m Backstroke110
Men's 100m Butterfly100
Men's 100m Freestyle001
Men's 200m Backstroke110
Men's 200m Butterfly100
Men's 200m Freestyle101
Men's 200m Individual Medley101
Men's 400m Freestyle001
Men's 400m Individual Medley101
Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay100
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay100
Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay100
Women's 100m Backstroke101
Women's 100m Breaststroke010
Women's 100m Butterfly010
Women's 100m Freestyle001
Women's 200m Backstroke010
Women's 200m Breaststroke100
Women's 200m Individual Medley001
Women's 400m Freestyle010
Women's 400m Individual Medley001
Women's 4 x 100m Freestyle Rel010
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay010
Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Rel001
Women's 50m Freestyle010
2also show each event results forAustralia66820
Men's 100m Backstroke001
Men's 100m Freestyle010
Men's 1500m Freestyle010
Men's 200m Breaststroke010
Men's 200m Freestyle001
Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay001
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay010
Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay001
Women's 100m Breaststroke100
Women's 100m Butterfly101
Women's 100m Freestyle010
Women's 200m Breaststroke010
Women's 200m Butterfly001
Women's 200m Individual Medley100
Women's 400m Individual Medley100
Women's 4 x 100m Freestyle Rel001
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay100
Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Rel100
Women's 50m Freestyle001
3also show each event results forGreat Britain2226
Men's Marathon 10km010
Women's 400m Freestyle101
Women's 800m Freestyle100
Women's Marathon 10km011
4also show each event results forJapan2035
Men's 100m Breaststroke100
Men's 200m Breaststroke100
Men's 200m Butterfly001
Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay001
Women's 200m Breaststroke001
5also show each event results forGermany2013
Men's Marathon 10km001
Women's 100m Freestyle100
Women's 50m Freestyle100
6also show each event results forNetherlands2002
Men's Marathon 10km100
Women's 4 x 100m Freestyle Rel100
7also show each event results forChina1326
Men's 400m Freestyle010
Women's 200m Butterfly110
Women's 200m Freestyle001
Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay001
Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Rel010
8also show each event results forZimbabwe1304
Women's 100m Backstroke010
Women's 200m Backstroke100
Women's 200m Individual Medley010
Women's 400m Individual Medley010
9also show each event results forFrance1236
Men's 100m Breaststroke001
Men's 100m Freestyle100
Men's 200m Breaststroke001
Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay010
Men's 50m Freestyle011
10also show each event results forRussia1124
Men's 100m Backstroke001
Men's 200m Backstroke001
Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay010
Women's Marathon 10km100
11also show each event results forItaly1102
Women's 200m Freestyle100
Women's 800m Freestyle010
12also show each event results forSouth Korea1102
Men's 200m Freestyle010
Men's 400m Freestyle100
13also show each event results forBrazil1012
Men's 100m Freestyle001
Men's 50m Freestyle100
14also show each event results forTunisia1001
Men's 1500m Freestyle100
15also show each event results forHungary0303
Men's 200m Butterfly010
Men's 200m Individual Medley010
Men's 400m Individual Medley010
16also show each event results forNorway0112
Men's 100m Breaststroke010
Women's 200m Breaststroke001
17also show each event results forSerbia0101
Men's 100m Butterfly010
18also show each event results forSlovenia0101
Women's 200m Freestyle010
19also show each event results forAustria0011
Women's 100m Breaststroke001
20also show each event results forCanada0011
Men's 1500m Freestyle001
21also show each event results forDenmark0011
Women's 800m Freestyle001

see also
Phelps claims first Beijing gold
10 Aug 08 |  Swimming
Brits to watch: Liam Tancock
04 Aug 08 |  Olympics
Olympics blog
07 Aug 08 |  Olympics
Beijing 2008
14 Feb 08 |  Olympics
Tancock and Adlington set records
10 Apr 08 |  Swimming


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