Rebecca Adlington: I never realised how much pain I was in before coeliac diagnosis

Rebecca Adlington established herself as one of Britain’s greatest-ever athletes - then she lost her energy.

In 2008, a teenage Adlington became the first British swimmer to win two gold medals at the same Olympics for 100 years.

She broke an 800m freestyle world record that had stood since the year she was born.

This is not a woman who lacks motivation. Yet little more than a decade later, in her early thirties, Adlington could barely find the spirit to exercise.

Yes, she was older. Yes, she was now a working mother of two. But despite being given medical advice to the contrary, she knew this was not normal. And she was right.

Adlington has coeliac disease - a chronic autoimmune condition where consuming gluten damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents the body from prop