"It depends on how I do - you can't even think about (sic), it's crazy to think about," she said.

"I'd love to carry on and keep swimming as long as I enjoy it and can improve.

"Next year if I'm not improving or if I've done all I can and have achieved everything I would consider retiring, but it's out of my control at the minute."

Fresh from her triumphant performance at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, Adlington is taking nothing for granted ahead of the Olympics, and insists that it will be a "tough ask" just to qualify for the Games.

"Sport is so unpredictable, you can get injured at any point," she said.

"Everyone is fighting for those Games, and the events I do are so competitive, there are just two spots and it will be difficult to make.

"I want to work really hard and hopefully pull it off."

Adlington is a Cadbury athlete ambassador and has been promoting their "Spots v Stripes Minute To Win It" campaign, which seeks to make Britain more competitive by engaging the public to take part in simple one-minute games.

An example of one of the games involves setting up five cups equidistant from each other and one metre from the game player, and then attempting to throw tea bags into all five in under a minute.

She was joined by brain specialist Dr Jack Lewis, who is an expert in sports psychology.

Dr Lewis said: "[Cadbury's Spots v Stripes] is really good - who cares if you can't bounce a pencil in a mug?

"But it's good to get the positive experience of winning something.

"More importantly, everyone is busy and stressed and if you take a minute out of your work it's scientifically proven that if you play one of these games, when you return to what you were doing you do so with lower stress levels and more creative prowess.

"Distracting yourself with a minute long game is like a reset button so that you're more effective."


The 22-year-old Adlington added that time constraints prevent people getting in touch with their competitive side, and that the Cadbury's initiative can make a difference to breaking that obstacle.

"It's so important to make sure we keep playing games," she said.

"A lot of people are too busy to play - that is why the minute to minute campaign is so good because it is just a minute of your day and hopefully will give people more of an edge.

"You don't have to buy stuff, these games use things just lying around the house and any age group can play - they are just novelty back to basics games."

Last week, the Mansfield born freestyle swimmer took gold in the 800 metres last week, before adding a silver in the 400m, and said that she was surprised to have won.

"Last week was absolutely amazing," she added.

"I was so pleased, I didn't expect to win and it gives me a confidence boost for next year.

"You pretty much race the same people as at the Olympics, so it's good to show that you are the best in the world."


With London 2012 drawing closer, Adlington will be one of the athletes who is expect to deliver medal success after her exploits in recent years, where as well as her Olympic and World Championship victories, she has also won gold at both the European Championships in Barcelona and the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Adlington sees the extra pressure on her shoulders as a positive and a confidence booster, and believes that performing in front of a home crowd will help Team GB.

"The pressure is nice because it means I've been doing well - if there was no pressure it means I wouldn't be doing that well, so it gives me a lot of confidence," she said.

"For any British athlete there is more pressure on you as it's a home crowd so they want to see Brits in the final winning medals.

"I think it will be an advantage, you won't have jetlag, you will be used to the food, it will be home comforts for us.

"I have never been to a major meet on home grounds, and I have been to major meets where the atmosphere is incredible.

"Last week when Sun Yang broke the world record in the 1500m the home crowd went mental, it was amazing and electric, and we all thought this could be us next year and that should boost us even more."

For more information on Cadbury's 'Spots v Stripes Minute To Win It' campaign, please click here, where you can also find and play the "minute to win it" games.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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