DOUBLE Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington is an excellent role model for youngsters in Bristol and across the country.

This 19-year-old down-to-earth Northern lass has trained exceptionally hard for years, dreaming of standing on the tallest podium at the Olympics. And now, through her sheer grit and determination, that dream has come true – twice.

In an age when ignorant nobodies get instant stardom for making spectacles of themselves in the Big Brother house, Becky is a shining example of genuine, striven-for success.

She isn't famous for posing scantily-clad in a men's magazine or draping herself on the arm of a rich boyfriend. She's famous for honing her raw talent for swimming through pure hard graft and dedication.

She's living proof that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

Jennifer Mackay, Redland.