There was an extra-special piece of motivation behind British swimmer Rebecca Adlington's triumph in the 400 metres freestyle in Beijing on Monday - the promise of some designer footwear.
Known among her team-mates for her addiction to shoes, Mansfield-born Rebecca had made a bet with her mum and dad, Kay and Steve, that if she won Olympic gold, they would buy her a pair of Christian Louboutin heels.
Not only that, the Mayor of Mansfield promised her a pair of luxury hand-made Jimmy Choos.
Of course, the 19-year-old's overwhelming thought as she prepared to race was the gold medal – and she admits she has barely taken it off since her win. However, she reveals: "I love shoes – I have well over 30 pairs."
This is not the only time Rebecca - the first British woman in 48 years to take an Olympic gold in the pool – has been able to cash in on a pair of designer heels thanks to her incredible ability in the water.
For initially qualifying for the Games, her parents let her pick any pair of her choice and she happily selected some Christian Louboutin kitten heels.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
