British Swim Sensation Rebecca Adlington Wins Laureus World Breakthrough Of Year Award

LONDON, June 15, 2009British Olympic swimming sensation Rebecca Adlington, who won two gold medals in Beijing at the age of 19 is the winner of the 2009 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award. Adlington amazed and delighted the swimming world when she won the 400 metres and 800 metres freestlye in Beijing to become Britain's first female Olympic swimming champion in 48 years.

In the 800 metres, she broke one of the oldest and most illustrious world records in sport. Her time of 8 mins 14.10 secs was more than two seconds better than Janet Evans' 19-year-old world record which was created when Adlington was just six months old. Adlington's two gold medals made her the most successful British swimmer in 100 years.

Adlington, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, received the Laureus Breakthrough Award from Laureus World Sports Academy member Sebastian Coe and Laureus Friend & Ambassador Kelly Holmes, herself a double Olympic gold medallist in 2004 in Athens. Also there to congratulate Adlington was Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy.

Adlington received the Laureus statuette in East London when she visited the site of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where she will be hoping to repeat her golden success in three years time. She said: "It is a real honour to win this Award, it's quite awe-inspiring when you realise who the 46 members of the Laureus Academy who voted actually are. To be recognised by the likes of British legends such as Sir Ian Botham, Sir Bobby Charlton, Lord Coe, Daley Thompson, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, swimmers Mark Spitz and Dawn Fraser, is incredible.

"It's a unique award, made even more flattering when you look at the names of the other sportsmen and women who were nominated, not to mention the previous three winners - Lewis Hamilton, Amelie Mauresmo and Rafael Nadal. The last year has been a fantastic experience and I hope my journey towards London 2012 is equally as enjoyable. Thank you so much."

Laureus World Sports Academy member Lord Coe, the Chairman of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee, said: "Beijing was an Olympic Games full of stunning individual exploits and Rebecca Adlington's performance was as good as any. Her arrival on the scene as an Olympic champion, at just 19, was dramatic and refreshing and she thoroughly deserves to win the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year.Award.

"What made Rebecca's success even more thrilling was it was unexpected. A genuine surprise of the most delightful kind. In the 400 metres freestyle she became Britain's first female Olympic swimming champion for 48 years, and then she proved it was no fluke by doing it again in the 800 metres freestyle, breaking one of the oldest world records in the process. Rebecca helped to make it a wonderful Olympics for Britain and we will all be hoping that she can do it again when the Olympic and Paralympic Games are held in London in 2012," added Coe.

And Dame Kelly Holmes, who won her gold medals at 800 and 1,500 metres on the track at the Athens Olympics in 2004, said: "I congratulate Rebecca for an amazing performance in Beijing. I can totally identify with her. I have been there and I know how exciting this must be for her. There is something very special about winning a gold medal or two of them. And then to be acknowledged by the great champions of the Laureus Academy is just so thrilling."

The other nominees for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award were Serbian tennis Grand Slam winners Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, talented American golfer Anthony Kim, Germany's Sebastian Vettel, the youngest ever Formula One Grand Prix winner, at 21 years 73 days, and China's Zou Kai, who won three gymnastic gold medals in Beijing on his Olympic debut.

The Laureus World Sports Awards are the only global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 46 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, a collection of the world's greatest sportsmen and women. The living legends of sport honouring the great athletes of today. The Laureus World Sports Awards recognise sporting achievement during the period January 1, 2008

- December 31, 2008.

In Rome last month, Russian pole vault star Yelena Isinbayeva received the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award from Laureus Academy members Sir Bobby Charlton, Marcel Desailly and Alberto Tomba. And last week in Toronto, the fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt, was presented with the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award by Michael Johnson and Edwin Moses.

The winners of this year's other Laureus World Sports Awards will receive their Awards during a series of presentations to be made during June. Because of the current economic situation Laureus and its partners have decided to forego the usual spring Awards Ceremony. The key focus for Laureus during 2009 will be to support the funding and activities of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The Laureus Foundation addresses social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception Laureus has raised 20 million for projects which have helped improve the lives of more than one million young people.

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