Mayor honours golden swimmer

Rebecca with the mayor (Photo: Mansfield DC).

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Mansfield DC is set to name a swimming complex after Britain's first Olympic gold medal swimmer in 48 years.

Sherwood Swimming Baths in Mansfield Woodhouse will undergo a £4.5m refurbishment starting in January and is expected to re-open as the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre.

Local athlete Rebecca, 19, stormed to victory in the 400m final in Beijing and won huge praise from the mayor, Tony Egginton.

"Rebecca is a fantastic ambassador for Mansfield both in and out of the pool and we hope that this is the first of many gold medals," he said.

"The renamed Sherwood Baths will be a permanent reminder of Rebecca's Olympic success and we hope it can also serve as an inspiration to other young swimmers to strive to match her incredible achievements."

Rebecca first learned to swim at Sherwood Baths from the age of six before progressing through the Mansfield DC and Nottinghamshire CC swimming development programme and on to Olympic glory.

As a further honour, Mr Egginton wants to bestow the freedom of Mansfield on her.

"It couldn't have happened to a nicer girl. I have had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca on a number of occasions and she is a credit to herself, her family and Mansfield - both in and out of the pool."

Both honours are subject to Rebecca's and council agreement, although Mr Egginton has been backed by her parents and the leaders of all the council's political groups.

The Sherwood Baths refurbishment includes an extension of the current four-lane pool to six lanes, new changing rooms, a larger gymnasium facility and a new multi-purpose room on the first floor.