00:00Rebecca Allington has navigated life beyond the pool with the same determination and focus
00:07that brought her Olympic glory. Since retiring from competitive swimming in 2013, the double
00:14gold medalist has forged a varied career in broadcasting, advocacy and family life.
00:20She's become a familiar face on BBC Sport, providing commentary at major events,
00:25including the Paris 2024 Olympics, where her emotional reaction to Adam Peaty's silver medal
00:30reflected the depth of her connection to the sport.
00:35Away from television, Allington has championed causes close to her heart.
00:40She's partnered with Hyundai on Rest Drives' campaign, designed to help families find calmer ways
00:47for children to nap safely in cars. The initiative offered a 24-hour test drive of the Kona Electric,
00:53promoting awareness of child sleep safety and highlighting her commitment to practical solutions
01:00that improve everyday life for parents and children.
01:04So Becky, just tell us a little bit about the campaign you're involved with and how it sort
01:09of resonates with you personally.
01:13Yeah, well, straight away for me, I think you can just naturally relate when you're a parent.
01:18It's one of those that we've all been there. Sleep is the most precious thing in the world,
01:24I think, in general, let alone when it's just then you're becoming a parent.
01:28So I connected with it straight away. And I thought just, A, I'm an EV driver.
01:35So I have been for the past five years. And Albie, my little boy, has never known anything
01:41other than an electric car. So I guess in that sense, it works. But I've been driving
01:47the Kona car as well recently, and it is a fantastic car, I will say that. So the fact
01:53that they are offering parents the 24-hour extended test drive, I think, just gives parents
01:59peace of mind. Because I think when you're looking for a car as a parent, it's one of those
02:04that, yes, you want it. I'm a bit more like, oh, as long as the color's all right.
02:08I don't know. I'm a bit one of those. But you have got to think when you're a parent,
02:13okay, can the car seats go in? What's the space like? Is there enough room in the booth
02:19or prams, et cetera? All these different things that you've got to contemplate as a parent
02:24and as a family, are we going to fit everything in? Is it going to be comfortable for the children?
02:28So I think having that extended 24-hour test drive really gives parents that peace of mind.
02:35It's not a rush then decision. They get to really test it out. And especially with nap
02:40time. I mean, it's absolutely crucial. My little boy, I used to schedule everything
02:45around my kids' naps. It was like, we are traveling at this point because that's when
02:51they need to nap. And both my kids have been really, really good nappers. So I wasn't surprised
02:55because it's just, you'll do anything for your kids to sleep. And it just makes it so much
03:01easier, so much easier. Her sporting achievements remain extraordinary. At the Beijing Olympics
03:08in 2008, she claimed both the 400 metre and 800 metre freestyle, becoming Britain's first
03:14female Olympic swimming champion since 1960 and setting a world record in the 800 metres.
03:21She followed this with bronze medals in the same events at the 2012 London Games, cementing
03:25her status of one of Britain's finest swimmers.
03:28Brilliant. We, from a very small town. So in Mansfield, we, there wasn't much to do, but
03:35we had two swimming pools. And we were very, very lucky because I do know a lot of places
03:40across the UK don't have access to a swimming pool. And yet we had, we actually had a few.
03:45So we were very, very fortunate in that aspect. So it became the thing that we did as a family.
03:50It was at weekends. We would go swimming. I wanted my birthday parties at the swimming pool.
03:55It just became a lifestyle thing for just the family. My sisters both swam and trained. They
04:02both stopped when they were mid-teens, but I carried it on. So yeah, they were really supportive.
04:09They got it. Like they were just, yeah, my biggest cheerleaders.
04:12In her personal life, she has embraced motherhood and recently announced pregnancy,
04:20describing it as a small miracle after previous losses. Through her advocacy, media work and
04:26resilience in both sports and family, Addington continues to inspire. Her journey from Olympic
04:32champion to role model shows how she has adjusted to life beyond the pool while maintaining the same
04:39dedication that brought her global acclaim.
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