Adlington and Jackson, Britain's Golden Girls

The biggest rivalry in British sport since the halcyon days of Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett was born last week, but this time it will be played out in the world’s swimming pools, not on a track, between two winners who vow their friendship will remain intact.

Jo Jackson served notice of her potential back in Beijing when she claimed a bronze medal in the women’s 400 metres freestyle, but her achievement was overshadowed by Rebecca Adlington’s astounding feat of winning the same race, and then the 800 metres gold medal with a world record inside the Water Cube.
While Jackson returned to the pool determined to improve, Adlington enjoyed all the trappings of Olympic success, including an OBE, a third place in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, and a pub and her local swimming baths named after her.

Seven months on and the pair met for the first time in a competitive 400 metres freestyle race at the British Gas Championships in Sheffield since China. Adlington astounded many by breaking the world record at Ponds Forge after training less than she would have hoped due to the distractions and illness.� But she still came second to Jackson, at 22 two years her senior, who went even faster to record the new world record of a shade over four minutes. Just for good measure, Jackson then went on to break the Commonwealth record in the women’s 200 metres freestyle final as well.

“It’s incredible to think Britain now has the Olympic champion and the world record holder in the same event,” Adlington said, when the pair met up on Friday for Sportsmail to discuss their sudden rivalry. “There’s going to be some great races between us over the next few years.”

Indeed there is, but both insist they are paid up members of each other’s appreciation societies, borne out of training together for the past five years.
“We speak all the time,” Jackson insisted. “We text, go out for dinner, and help each other out in training whenever Beccy comes down to Loughborough where I train. We may want to beat each other in a race, but we’re also genuinely happy for each other whoever wins.”

Adlington agreed. “We’re really good at training because neither of us try and get one over each other. I think that would get annoying after a while, but we’re only too happy to help each other out.”

Did the Olympic champion suspect her friend was about to astonish British and world swimming? “Oh yes,” Adlington replied. “In fact I half-suspected her to become the first woman to break the four-minute barrier. If you watch our race all I’m doing is trying to stick with Jo. At no stage did I ever look like winning.”
Did the new world record holder expect her friend to also break the old record, considering the distractions and lack of training? “Absolutely,” Jackson responded. “Beccy’s a fighter. She’s a really, really tough competitor and opponent. It doesn’t matter what shape she may be in, she’s always going to push hard to win. I reckon it’s the first time I’ve ever beaten her when it matters and it’s given me a big psychological boost. But I’m under no illusions that she’ll come back hard after this.”

It has all the makings of an increasingly bitter rivalry. Never mind being the best in the world at the 400 metres. A stiffer task appears to be becoming the best in Britain. Now Jackson has decided to go for the 800 metres freestyle at the World Championships in Rome in July as well, which means there will almost certainly be two Adlington versus Jackson showdowns, and this is before next year’s Commonwealth Games, and the 2012 London Olympics.

But both girls insist that their strong and very evident friendship will withstand the rivalry, arguing that they are grateful to be pushed to greater heights by each other.

“There’s no way we won’t stay friends,” Jackson insisted. “In fact, I believe we’ll be friends long after our swimming careers are over. It’s great for British swimming that we’ve both achieved what we have and we intend to carry on being inspired by each other.”

Adlington appears just as enthused. “I noticed when Jo beat me the other day all the headlines said I was upstaged, or Jo wiped the floor off me, but I was only two tenths of a second behind her. It made me feel quite bad for a while and I’d hate Jo to think like that if I beat her next time. Besides, Frederica Pellegrini (the former world record holder from Italy) and Katie Hoff (the American glamour girl) might want to have a say at the world championships as well. All I can say is that I’d much rather have my friend Jo alongside me breaking records and winning titles, than not.”

At this point they became embroiled in a good-natured argument. Jackson insisted that Adlington had nothing to worry about when it came to both competing in the 800 metres. “I’m worried already,” was Adlington’s response to this. And Adlington reckoned that there’s little point in her entering the 200 metres because she has no speed. “Excuse me,” Jackson retorted. “You’ve posted the second-fastest British time at 200 metres.” Both did agree that the British women’s 4x200 metres relay squad should go well in Rome.

So who should our money go on come the world championships? “Don’t waste your money on us,” was Jackson’s advice.

Adlington gave a more considered verdict. “My number one event is and always has been the 800 metres, and that’s my main goal for Rome, while Jo’s a good sprinter at 200 metres and obviously world-class at 400 metres. We tend to meet in the middle and it’s hard to call.

“But I’d be more than happy to win a few 400 metres titles, and lose a few to Jo in the next few years, knowing I’ve got the 800 metres as well, and Jo’s got the 200 metres. In fact if one of us always wins the 400 metres it won’t be much fun for the other so I hope we get to share it. As long as one of us always wins then I’ll be happy.”

Jackson nodded her head at this conclusion. “If Beccy and I keep on winning between us, and remain the best of friends, I’ll be a very happy girl.”
As indeed will British sport.�������

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