Adlington targets glory at 800m; SWIMMING.

REBECCA ADLINGTON makes no bones about her love of the 800metres freestyle as she prepares to add the world crown to her Olympic title in Rome.

Last summer in Beijing the 20-year-old demolished Janet Evans' record which had stood since 1989, Adlington taking more than two seconds off the iconic mark to add to her 400m free title.

The American claimed the 400/800m double, as well as the 400m individual medley, at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and retained the longer title four years later in Barcelona.

Following her bronze in the 400m freestyle on Sunday, Adlington today goes in the heats of the 800m.

"It is still the most important for me, it is still the one my training is all focused around," said the Nova Centurion.

The possibility of the event having to make way at the 2012 Games has been mooted and Adlington has been vocal in her support for its retention.

"It's got so much history about it, why lose it?," she said.

Adlington looked back to Beijing when she met the woman whose record she had just demolished.

"It was such a honour. She was only 16 when she did it, she was such an unbelievable swimmer.

"That generation, there was no suits, she did it in a costume, you've got to give respect to her and for me."

Adlington expects the world record to fall again at the Foro Italico although it would be a shock if it were not to given events in Rome.

Records are tumbling at will and Adlington will be pushed by the likes of British team-mate Jo Jackson, who recently became the fourth fastest in history, Camelia Potec and Beijing silver medallist Alessia Filippi.

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Olympian Rebecca Adlington