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The 15 biggest moments for women in the Summer Olympics

Since 1900, when women first began competing in the Olympic Games, there have been many unforgettable moments. 

5. A Brit breaking records

Mark J. Terrill / AP
Rebecca Adlington shows her gold medal after the women's 800-meter freestyle semi-final during at the Beijing Olympics.

  • By Laura Edwins Contributor

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, English freestyle swimmer Rebecca Adlington won two gold medals – one for the 400-meter and one for the 800-meter, breaking the world record for the 800-meter. 

The 19-year-old swam the 800-meter with a time of 8:14:10, a full six seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, and two seconds ahead of the previous world record. The world record was set by Janet Evans in 1989, and had been swimming’s longest standing world record.

Adlington became the first British swimmer to win more than one gold medal since 1908, and Britain’s first Olympic swimming champion since 1988.

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