otiti paki: Sharron Davies: Rebecca Adlington's ...

It didn?t quite work out as Rebecca Adlington had intended, but credit to the defending 800m freestyle champion for a gallant effort to secure third place as 15-year-old American Katie Ledecky took her crown. Rebecca Adlington wipes away tears as she collects her bronze medal (Picture: AP) It was her second bronze medal of London 2012, after the 400m free, but I know Becky was as disappointed as anyone at not being able to win the gold again in her favourite event in her home Olympics. She gave it 100 per cent, as always, but it?s so much harder when you are 23 instead of 17, 16 or 15. These youngsters have no fear and any supposed Olympic pressure almost goes over their heads. But look at the facts, Becky has now been in four Olympic finals and won four medals ? two of them gold ? and that is a huge achievement. Any Olympic medal is hard to come by, the knowledgable crowd in the stadium also recognised that and it was their fantastic response as she went up to the podium to collect her medal that led to her emotional response. The fans were unbelievable and that was what really moved her to tears the most. There was a lot of pressure on her to deliver and she tried her best. Adlington followed up her two gold medals from Beijing with two bronze medals in London (Picture: EPA) Will we see her again? If she had won the gold I would have said no. But Becky will go away now and think things over. She is taking on a long charity bike ride for children in September and might want to re-assess things. But I wouldn?t be surprised if she had a go at the 2014 Commonwealths in Glasgow and tried to go out on a high, although she shouldn?t be pressured to do so. Whatever she does, Becky is an amazing ambassador for British swimming and people should always remember what she has achieved in the sport.