Rebecca Adlington says 'I'll never get over" heartbreaking miscarriage
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 says she is happy to have left the intense pressure and scrutiny behind, having retired from competitive swimming at the age of 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, former swimmer 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.
Rebecca Adlington takes her kids swimming and sticks to 'family-friendly' exercise (Fabio De Paola/REX/Shutterstock)
Rebecca won two golds for swimming at the Beijing Olympics (Daily Express)Here, the star talks about how she and the family are navigating their loss following her heartbreaking miscarriage last October at 20 weeks and her upcoming presenting duties at this Summer’s Olympic games...
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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. Are they both swimmers?
They go to swimming lessons and they love it. I take them to our local pool all the time. I live in a very small village where everyone knows each other and everyone’s very chilled about it. We’re not serious about sport though – we want them to have fun.
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 Albie going, “Mamma!” and waving, then wondering why I’m not waving back. Summer’s really not bothered. I wanted her to come to the Paris Olympics and she was like, “Nah, I don’t want to.”
Do you ever get mum guilt?
All the time – is there a mum who doesn’t? It’s hard. Summer says, “Urgh, you have to go to work?” She sees it as a negative. But I want the kids to see you can do a job you really love.
This year you’re on the BBC team at the Olympics in Paris. That’s exciting...
Yes! We didn’t go to Tokyo because of Covid. Obviously, our superstar of the sport is Adam Peaty. It’ll be nice to see him back on form. Us pundits will be hanging out after work, squeezing in some sightseeing and bouncing ideas off each other with a glass of wine.
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Rebecca Adlington with her two children before the loss of her third child (Instagram/beckadlington)What is it like when you’re competing?
It’s an intense period – you switch off when you can. It’s a nervous time, everyone’s on edge. How do you get ready for an opportunity that happens once every four years? You have one shot at it, then it’s gone in 30 seconds. Sport at that level really is 50/50 physical and mental.
Do you now think “phew” that you don’t have to do that any more?
Absolutely! I miss being part of the team and feeling fit, but the pressure and intensity is draining. We’re not robots. We’re not meant to be pushing ourselves to that level constantly.
What are some of your standout memories from your Games?
The people. My best mates from swimming are still my best mates now. Having a home Olympics in 2012 was amazing. Getting two gold medals, a world record, was better than
I could have wished for. Even now, I pinch myself. Sport’s given me so much. I’ve travelled the world and met incredible people. It’s given me passion and focus.
How would you describe your love of swimming?
You’re just weightless – physically and emotionally. There’s no phone and nobody around you. It’s a beautiful feeling. The best place I’ve ever been swimming is in a 50-metre pool in the Seychelles during a training camp.
What were some of the darkest moments during your sporting career?
At 15 I got glandular fever and post-viral fatigue. My sister was in intensive care with encephalitis [swelling to the brain]. That was tough, thinking I didn’t know if we were going to get through it. And the intense expectation on me after Beijing. Achieving something big is wonderful but it opens the door to personal and public criticism and that’s hard to get your head around. I’m just a girl from Mansfield, I never dreamt of fame.
What’s your fitness routine like these days?
I used to go to the gym a lot and love the sweaty HIIT workouts. Now I don’t want that intense training. I’ll go for a swim, a walk and do something active with the kids. I want my kids to have that healthy lifestyle. It’s mostly family-friendly exercise.
You and Andy seem to make a great team. Why do you think you work so well together?
We have similar values and we’re best mates. We have a laugh. We’ve been together for six years. It’s even more important now, I think, to hold onto all that, because you can get complacent in a marriage, especially when you’re like ships in the night. You’ve got to keep working at it.
You were in the I’m A Celebrity jungle in 2013. How did you find that experience?
I absolutely loved it. I also got to understand how showbiz works. We were filmed for 24 hours a day, then it’s edited down to a one-hour programme, like Love Island. People lash out on social media and I feel like saying, “Guys, you haven’t got the full picture. It’s entertainment, take it with a pinch of salt.” These people have parents, people who love them. That’s what I was initially quite naive about, but I had the best time.
You received an OBE from the late Queen in 2009…
Receiving it from the Queen was insane. I remember her telling me she loved swimming. Princess Anne was out in Beijing – she was on our flight home! I remember meeting Kate [Princess of Wales] at the London Olympics. She was wearing these incredible LK Bennett shoes. I just gushed, “Oh, I love your shoes!” It was a proper girlie moment.
What projects do you have on this year?
Continuing with my swim school and taking part in a Wellness Weekend at this gorgeous new resort called Anda Barut in Bodrum, Turkey, in May. I’ll be doing workshops for all abilities, alongside other Olympians like Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson. People shouldn’t be scared, though – we’re not doing Olympic-level training! We just want everyone to have fun. I’m going for three nights with Andy and leaving the kids with Mum and Dad. We’re never away without them, so it will be nice to have some rare “us” time – and some unbroken sleep!
Rebecca is working with Anda Barut Collection, Delice Peninsula, Didim, across wellness weekend, 10-12 may 2024. Visit barutanda.com/en
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at the Miscarriage Association. You can call them on 01924 200799 or email [email protected]
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