Great Britain's Adlington denies Hoff gold medal in 400 free

A 19-year-old rising superstar captured the gold medal Monday morning in the women's 400-meter freestyle.

Just not the one most people have heard about.

Rebecca Adlington produced an incredible surge in the final 20 meters to defeat American Katie Hoff and capture the first Olympic gold medal for Great Britain in the event at the National Aquatics Center, aka "The Water Cube."

Adlington, who was in fourth place with 50 meters remaining, won in 4 minutes, 3.22 seconds, a mark well off the Olympic record of 4:02.19 set in prelims by Italy's Federica Pellegrini, who also holds the world record at 4:01.53.

Hoff, the leader from the midway point of the race until Adlington passed her in the final strokes, took second in 4:03.29, adding a silver medal to her bronze in the 400 individual medley. Adlington's countrywoman, Joanne Jackson, rallied from last place at the midway point to take bronze in 4:03.52.

Sarah Hardcastle (silver) and June Croft (bronze) were Great Britain's last medalists in the event in 1984.

Pellegrini, looking to become Italy's first gold medalist in the event, was in third with 100 meters remaining, but slipped to fifth in 4:04.56, also trailing France's Coralie Balmy (4:03.60).

Frenchwoman Laure Manaudou, the defending Olympic gold medalist, led for the first 150 meters, but fell well off the pace by the midway point, taking eighth in 4:11.26. Manaudou was attempting to be the first swimmer to repeat in the 400 free since American Martha Norelius doubled in 1924 and 1928.

Her winning time in Athens was 4:05.34.

Hoff's silver medal marked the third consecutive Olympics the U.S. medaled in the event after being shut out for only the third time in 20 Olympic Games in 1996.