Families delighted at stars' return

Rebecca Adlington is reunited with her parents Steve and Kay

25 August 2008 05:20pm

The families of the returning Olympic heroes have spoken of their delight as Team GB landed back in the UK.

The sister of Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington said she would be mobbed by delighted fans in her hometown of Mansfield upon her return home.

The 19-year old won two gold medals in the 400 and 800 metre freestyle event.

Her sister Laura told the BBC: "There's a lot of people on the street who want to come out and congratulate her and welcome her back into her home. Then (on Tuesday) we've got an open top bus planned and a nice big party for her with her friends and her family which will be lovely for her."

She said that when she first sees her sister again she would: "Grab her, give her a big hug and a kiss and tell her how much I love her and how proud I am of her, I just can't wait to see her."

Kay Adlington, Rebecca's mother, said she could not wait to have her gold medalist daughter back again. She said: "I'm so proud. We've just watched on the monitor as the team came down the steps from the plane and they looked so happy and confident. They all seem really pleased to be back and looking forward to seeing their families."

Adlington will be back in training on October 1 with her sights set on 2012, she added. She said: "It may be four years away but it's not a lot of time to prepare for the next Olympics."

Marathon runner Dan Robinson's wife Jess was thrilled to be reunited with him for the first time since he went off to train in Macau in early August. Jess Robinson, who is heavily pregnant and two days past her due date said: "Now Dan is home I feel quite relieved. He is more or less guaranteed to be there for the birth."

A relieved Dan Robinson said: "I'm in time and she hasn't had the baby. I would have been in trouble but I was always confident she would hold. It is great I'm back, very exciting."