Commonwealth Games

Jackson not named in initial England squad

ESPN staff

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Rebecca Adlington and Joanne Jackson celebrate their gold and bronze medals © Getty Images

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Former world record holder Joanne Jackson has not been named as an individual competitor for the England swimming team for this year's Commonwealth Games.

Jackson, who won silver in the World Championships last summer ahead of double Olympic medallist Rebecca Adlington, has been plagued by health problems this season and has been named in the relay squad for the event in October which takes place in Delhi.

The Olympic bronze medallist has been struggling with a severe form of asthma and failed to achieve the qualifying time at last month's British Swimming Championships. She will have another chance to qualify in August, when a further 13 swimmers will be added to the squad.

Adlington and world champions Liam Tancock and Gemma Spofforth were named among 29 swimmers selected for the Delhi Games by Commonwealth Games England on Tuesday. Also named are reigning champions Simon Burnett and Ross Davenport. Burnett is the 100m freestyle champion and picked up a silver in the 200m freestyle behind team-mate Davenport.

"I'd like to welcome our first group of swimmers to the England team for Delhi and wish them the very best in their continuing preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games," said Craig Hunter, Chef de Mission of the England team.

Amid security concerns surrounding the Commonwealth Games, Adlington admitted that the team may be forced to pull out.

"As swimmers we all said we want to go," she told Sky Sports News. "They send us out emails all the time about security and I think if any individual swimmer has a real concern we raise that issue with the bosses and go to them directly.

"At the minute we are still planning on going and will still hopefully be able to compete but if anything happens in the meantime just straight away they would pull out because they have got our best interests at heart and they want us to do well as well. They are on top of it so we leave it in their hands."