Young swimmers hoping to follow in the footsteps of their local heroine were hard at training at Rebecca Adlington's former pool this morning ahead of the double Olympic swimmer starting her bid to defend her title in this year's Games.

Adlington, 23, will compete in the 400m freestyle heats and hopefully the final later at the Aquatics Centre.

She won Gold in the Olympic 400m and 800m events in Beijing in 2008 and is hotly tipped to repeat that success in London, cheered on by her family and coach Bill Furniss.

Abigail Watson was among those training with Adlington's former team, the Nova Development Squad, at her former pool in Mansfield today.

Speaking at the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre, the 11-year-old said: "You might see me at the Olympics in four years time.

"Rebecca is an amazing swimmer. I look up to her and want to be like her and take part in the Olympics."

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Another young hopeful, Matthew Moore, trains six hours a week and already has a clutch of trophies under his belt.

The 13-year-old, also from Mansfield, said: "Rebecca's a really good technical swimmer. It's a real inspiration to see someone from here taking part in the Olympics and makes me feel I could achieve it too."

Adlington learned to swim at the pool, formerly Sherwood Baths, which was renamed and given a £5 million facelift following her success in Beijing.

She joined the Nova Development Squad, which recruits from local swimming clubs in the area, after learning to swim at the age of six.

Gail Stockton, one of the Nova Development coaches, said: "I've seen Rebecca's training notes and it's clear she moved up through the squad very quickly due to her exceptional talent.

"She won left, right and centre, which gave her a competitive edge. It's OK being good but you have to have that will to win.

"Seeing her taking part in the Olympics makes it accessible for these children. They see somebody from their team taking part and it makes them think 'I could do this'.

"But they have to want to do it, not the parents."

Kay and Steve Adlington will be cheering their daughter on in London today but said earlier this week there was an understanding between them that they would not distract her or interfere in the run-up to or immediate aftermath of her swims.

Speaking at the family home in Mansfield, Mrs Adlington said: "We have an understanding that she knows we're there. If she wants to contact us she will and if not that's fine, and if not we go about our business and we know that at the end of it, at the end of her last swim, we will have time with her."

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