REBECCA ADLINGTON
www.rebeccaadlington.co.uk
Sport Swimming
Date of Birth 17/02/89
Lives Nottingham
Born Mansfield
Height 179.00
Weight 70.00
Club Nova Centurian
Coach Bill Furniss
Rebecca Adlington is Britain's first Olympic swimming champion since 1988 and the first British swimmer to win two Olympic gold medals since 1908 and Great Britain's most successful Olympic swimmer in 100 years. At the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, Adlington
became a household name overnight after winning gold in the 400m Freestyle. Later in the week, Adlington set a world record in the heats of the 800m Freestyle before going on to win the final two days later in another world record of 8:14.10 - two seconds
under the previous record set by USA's Janet Evans when Adlington was six months old. 2010 saw Adlington return to her best form as she added the Commonwealth crowns to her two Olympic golds over 400m and 800m Freestyle. She continued her progression into
2011, winning her first World Championship silver medal in the 400m Freestyle in Shanghai before going one better to become Great Britain's first ever freestyle swimming world champion by taking 800m Freestyle gold.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Failing to medal in the final of the 800m freestyle at the 2009 World Championships. Rebecca admitted that she suffered under the weight of expectation placed on her shoulders following the Beijing Olympics.
RIVALS
Rebecca is currently ranked No.1 in the world for the 400m and 800m freestyle, but she faces tough competition from her Australian rivals Kylie Palmer and Bronte Barratt.
RANDOM FACTS
- Once described her perfect evening as wandering round the front room wearing a pair of £1000 Christian Louboutin shoes and doing a jigsaw.
- Keeps her Olympic medals in a shoe bag in her cupboard. Though given her veneration of footwear, that's probably an indication of how much she prizes them.
- Following the Beijing Olympics, her local swimming pool - where she learned to swim - was renamed in her honour.
WINE MATCH
Like Rebecca Chapel Down English Rose 2009 presents delicate and vibrant characteristics with hints of summer fruits, strawberries and redcurrant. A remarkably dry and refreshing wine, with crisp acidity. Just like Rebecca this wine is the perfect companion
for a jovial and chilled out day!
CHRIS HOY
www.chrishoy.com
Sport Cycling Track
Date of Birth 23/03/76
Lives Manchester
Born n/a
Height 186.00
Weight 92.00
Club Team Sky
Coach n/a
At the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Chris Hoy won a historic three cycling Olympic golds, (Team Sprint, Individual Sprint and Keirin), and was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Then to top of an already remarkable year he was awarded a knighthood
in the 2009 New Year’s Honours list. Born in Edinburgh, he left Moray House School of Education (University of Edinburgh) with a degree in sports science in 1999. As a child he rode in BMX, but he is now first and foremost a Kilometre time trial rider. At
the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Hoy’s first games, he took silver in the team sprint with Jason Queally and Craig Maclean.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
The year after the Olympics, Hoy was plagued by injuries and pulled out of the World Championships with a hip problem.
RIVALS
Admits that the Australians and French are "the best but by a small, bridgeable margin".
RANDOM FACTS
- Was hit by a van just months before the Athens Olympics. The driver tried to laugh it off, but Hoy was not impressed. "I wasn't seeing the funny side of it as my Olympic dream flashed past me," he says. "I screamed at him for five minutes."
- Admits to being obsessive about bikes. He used to work for a pittance in a bike shop, and spend all his wages on things from the shop as he built his own bike. "I knew the cost of every component," he says. "I knew the weight of every titanium skewer."
- Grew up on the same Edinburgh street as GB canoeist David Florence.
WINE MATCH
Sir Chris Hoy surely the most successful Scottish olympian and nevertheless he still remains modest, rooted and somewhat romantic. Both the GB athlete and Chapel Down English Rose NV, made using the traditional way, present elegant traits. The wine shows slight
hints of rose petals and soft strawberry character, medium body and persistent bubbles.
LOIUS SMITH
www.louis-smith-official.com
Sport Gymnastics Artistic
Date of Birth 22/04/89
Lives n/a
Born Peterborough
Height 179.00
Weight 76.00
Club Huntingdon Gymnastics Club
Coach Paul Hall
At the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Louis Smith won a bronze medal in the men’s pommel horse, becoming the first Briton to win an Olympic medal in individual gymnastics since Walter Tysall in 1908. Smith began gymnastics aged four and quickly progressed at the
sport and particularly on the pommel horse, which has become his most successful event. The 2006 Commonwealth Champion had his first taste of the Olympic atmosphere when he beat the best of the world's elite competitors at his age group to take the pommel
horse gold medal for Team GB at the 2007 Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney. At the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart Smith proved his senior pedigree by claiming the bronze medal on pommel horse.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Failing to win a medal at the 2011 European Championships. He toppled off the pommel horse during his final routine and placed sixth, later blaming the tumble, Colin Montgomerie-style, on a "distracting camera".
RIVALS
Krisztian Berki of Hungary is the man to beat on the pommel horse at the moment and beat Smith handily in Berlin in April 2011.
RANDOM FACTS
- The second black male gymnast to win a medal at the Olympics after American Jair Lynch (parallel bars, 1996)
- Wants to start his own fashion brand after he retires from the sport.
- Once auditioned for X Factor. Didn't get past the audition stage. A shame, as he'd have been easily the least annoying Louis on the show.
WINE MATCH
Just like Louis Smith Chapel Down Flint Dry 2010 is exceptionally multi dimensional and yet a very well balanced wine. Luis in fact not only is a shining star of the GB team but also loves cooking, fashion and singing; he auditioned for the X Factor as lead
singer of Sport Relief. Aromas of elderflower, minerals and gunpowder-like smokiness enrich this wine with body, flavour and complexity.
BEN AINSLIE
www.benainslie.com
Sport Sailing
Date of Birth 05/02/77
Lives Lymington
Born Macclesfield
Height 185.00
Weight 92.00
Club Royal Lymington, Hampshire
Coach Jez Fanstone
Ben Ainslie is Britain’s most successful Olympic sailor ever, with three gold and one silver medal. He made his Olympic debut aged 19 taking silver in the one-person Laser dinghy class at Atlanta 1996 before turning the tables on Brazilian great Robert Scheidt
in Sydney four years later to claim his first gold. A move up to the heavyweight dinghy Finn class for Athens 2004 resulted in the same outcome, before victory at Beijing 2008 saw Ainslie surpass Rodney Pattison’s previous best British Olympic sailing haul
of two golds, one silver. The three-time ISAF World Sailor of the Year has won the Finn World Championship a record five times, and in 2011 Ainslie claimed victory at both Skandia Sail for Gold and the Olympic Test Event at the London 2012 venue in Weymouth
and Portland.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
From the start of his career as a competitive sailor, there have been few events that Ben has failed to master, triumphing over injury and adversity in order to claim his three Olympic golds. In his first international competition, however, at the age of 12,
he trailed behind in 37th place.
RIVALS
Olympic silver medallist and USA competitor Zach Riley has vowed to be the one to finally topple Ben from the podium in 2012.
RANDOM FACTS
- Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent are the only British Olympians to have won more medals than Ben.
- Once destroyed a boat while out sailing with fellow British sailor Iain Percy and had to be rescued by the RNLI.
- Before 2010, Ben had not been beaten in a Finn competition in six years.
WINE MATCH
Both Ben Ainslie and Chapel Down Bacchus 2010 fully demonstrate England's potential. For instance Ben is the most successful Olympic sailor ever! Just like Ben, the wine also presents sophisticated characteristics such as complex aromas of rose petals, herbs
and lychees on the nose and apple pear and white pepper on the palate. Just as refined Ben loves his shopping (exclusively in Selfridges) and cars, especially his beloved Aston Martin. Well balanced and crisp Chapel Down Bacchus is a wine that will not disappoint
you!
VICTORIA PENDLETON
www.victoriapendleton.co.uk
Sport Cycling Track
Date of Birth 24/09/80
Lives n/a
Born Hitchin
Height 165.00
Weight 62.00
Club n/a
Coach n/a
At the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Victoria Pendleton won gold in the women’s individual sprint event adding to the two gold medals she had already won earlier in the year at the UCI Track World Championships.Following on from her success in Beijing, Pendleton
retained her world sprint title at the 2009 UCI Track Event in Pruszkow, although she was pushed to several photo finishes by her Dutch opponent Willy Kanis.Pendleton arrived on the sprinting scene with a real bang in 2001, with no less than four silver medals
in National Championships. In 2002 she completed her university studies and found herself free to concentrate full-time on her cycling for the first time. Much to her surprise she qualified easily for the England Commonwealth Games team where she rode with
distinction in the Sprint, making the last four.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Finishing third in the individual sprint at the World Track Championships 2011, when she could have done better.
RIVALS
Beijing silver medallist Anna Meares and Commonwealth medallist Kaarle McCulloch will challenge her for gold. Victoria is expected to win three gold medals, so the pressure of a nation's hopes on her shoulders could prove as big a rival as any. Just ask Andy
Murray.
RANDOM FACTS
- Placed 84th in FHM 100 sexiest women in 2009.
- Aspires to have an allotment, once she's done with the excitement of international cycling.
- With the nation's expectations weighing heavily on her, Victoria admits she is haunted by recurring dreams of a murderous monster with "a big 2012 written all over it". She should lay off the cheese.
WINE MATCH
Chapel Down Nectar Late Harvest Dessert Wine; now this is something special! Look forward to marmalade, dried apricot, stone-fruit, clementine and floral characteristics on the nose and the palate, along with some complexity from a portion of Botrytised grapes.
This wine is sweet without being heavy or cloying. And sweet and mellow is also GB's own Victoria Pendleton, whose fun and bubbly personality accompanies the romantic dreams of a girl who loves happy ending movies and only ever had a crush in her life - on
her fiancé Scott!
DAI GREENE
Sport Athletics
Date of Birth 11/04/86
Lives n/a
Born Llanelli, Wales
Height 185.00
Weight 77.00
Club n/a
Coach n/a
Offered a contract at Swansea City FC aged 16 but walked away because he had stopped enjoying the game. He moved to athletics after an aggressive football coach left his confidence in tatters. After a couple of seasons on the track his natural flair for hurdling
opened up more elite competitions to him. Clinched 2011 World Championship title in dramatic fashion in 48.26secs for GB's first gold in Daegu. Just needs Olympic gold to complete the set after being crowned Commonwealth and European champion in 2010. The
current BBC Welsh Sports personality of the year's personal best of 47.88sec means Kriss Akabusi's British record of 47.82sec is well within his reach, even if the Olympic record of 46.78sec, set by Kevin Young at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, is not.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Failing to qualify for the Beijing Olympics due to a long-term foot injury.
RIVALS
Having proved that he is the best in Europe and the Commonwealth, Greene will be hoping to beat the American trio of Angelo Taylor, Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson, who swept the board at the Beijing Olympics.
RANDOM FACTS
- Idolised footballer Ryan Giggs as a boy - so much so that he taught himself to play with his left foot to be more like his fellow Welshman. Learning to use his left foot like that has helped to advance his hurdling skills.
- He suffers from epilepsy and uses the strict diet and training regime of a professional athlete to keep his condition under control.
- He has written a 10,000-word dissertation on the science behind success in hurdles. Hopefully his rivals haven't read it.
WINE MATCH
Good balance between violets, plums, cherries and cranberries make Chapel Down Pinot Noir 2009 the perfect match with meats and feathered games. Greene's determination, consistency and resilience can be compared to the wine's peppery and earthy complexity,
sweet fruits, fine tannins and a finish that opens up and lingers.
JESSICA ENNIS
www.jessicaennis.net
Sport Athletics
Date of Birth 23/01/86
Lives n/a
Born Sheffield
Height 165.00
Weight 57.00
Club n/a
Coach n/a
First exposure to athletics came at an Aviva event in Sheffield at the age of 10, when she won a pair of trainers. Joined the local club at 11, where she competed in youth competitions until named in the British junior squad at 17. Lost world crown to Tatyana
Chernova due to her worst showing in the javelin since the 2007 Championships in Osaka but still lays claim to European hepthathlon title. Poised to be the face of the 2012 Olympics, some fine-tuning to the javelin should see her close in on Denise Lewis's
British record.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Being unable to compete in the 2008 Olympics due to injury. Jessica was tipped to medal in Beijing but was forced to pull out just weeks before the Games due to a stress fracture in her ankle.
RIVALS
Current Olympic hepthathlon champion Nataliya Dobrynska should make a strong return in 2012 and has remained within touching distance of Ennis over the past couple of years. Another name to watch out for is Tatyana Chernova of Russia, who is not as good a runner
as Ennis but could make up ground in the long jump and javelin, two of her strongest events.
RANDOM FACTS
- Has a chocolate Labrador called Mila. Rumours she also owns a liqourice Daschund and a marzipan Pug are unfounded.
- Put her wedding on hold until after the 2012 Games in order to avoid "any distractions" to her Olympic training. Her boyfriend popped the question on Christmas Eve 2010.
- Set to receive the ultimate accolade - being immortalised in wax at London's Madame Tussauds. Ennis sat for the modelling in May 2011, and the statue will eventually cost around £150,000 to produce.
WINE MATCH
Refreshing, zesty and bubbly just like GB's own Jessica Ennis. Fashionable, outgoing and fun the athlete perfectly matches Chapel Down Brut NV which is the ultimate party sparkling wine, a stunning effort next to a big-name Champagne! In fact Jessica too loves
the finest thing in life: she can't go out without one of her Mulberry bags and driving he Jaguar XKR.
PHILLIPS IDOWU
http://phillips-idowu-official.com/
Sport Athletics
Date of Birth 30/12/78
Lives Hackney
Born Hackney
Height 193.00
Weight 86.00
Club Belgrave harriers
Coach Aston Moore
At the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Phillips Idowu led the world rankings. After leading qualification, Idowu improved his season’s best to 17.62m in the final, but World Champion, Nelson Evora from Portugal denied him the gold medal surpassing him by 5cm, and
Idowu had to settle for silver. At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Idowu won triple jump gold. Idowu beat Olympic Champion, Evora, with a life time best of 17.73m. Idowu is a member of Belgrave Harriers and is known as much for his eccentricity as
his triple jumping! His hair has been virtually every colour of the rainbow and his facial piercings are his trademarks. Also a talented basketball and American football player, he was fourth in the 1997 European Junior Championships and took the English Schools’
and AAA under-20 titles that year too. The AAA U23 gold followed two years later and he had progressed into was soon building on that promise with the elevation into the world’s top ten in 2000.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
We're tempted to say his ertswhile Dayglo hairdo ... but it must be missing out on Olympic gold by just centimetres in Beijing. Despite qualifying in pole position, Phillips was beaten by Portugal's Nelson Evora in the final.
RIVALS
Olympic champion Nelson Evora carries the fight to Phillips at every international competition and will not surrender his Olympic title lightly to the world No.1. However, since 2008 Phillips has beaten his great rival on several occasions including the 2009
World Championships.
RANDOM FACTS
- If he wins gold in 2012 Phillips claims he will throw his Olympic silver from 2008 in the bin. So, should you happen to meet an apparently over-achieving dustman in the future, remember to check his backstory.
- Allegedly withdrew from the 2011 European Team Championships via Twitter, causing outrage among the UK Athletics committee.
- Phillips has no idea where that final "s" comes from in his name, but blames his father.
WINE MATCH
Classic pinot noir characteristics of strawberries, rhubarb and raspberries with a splash of creaminess! Chapel Down Rosé Brut NV presents a clean finish and a perfectly balanced acidity that makes this the perfect party wine! Also Team GB has got its own 'party
leader'. The eccentric Phillips Idowu in fact, with his usual ‘out of the box’ hair style, loves partying, cooking, being fashionable and up-to-date.