Cairns to put injury troubles behind her at Commonwealths

IMOGEN Cairns plans to banish her two-year injury nightmare at next month's Commonwealth Games in Delhi, having been included in England's 13-strong squad.

BOUNCING BACK: Imogen Cairns has had her fair share of injury problems recently but has been named in England's Commonwealth Games team (Reuters)

Cairns, 21, scooped vault gold and team silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, but has barely competed since making her Olympic debut at Beijing 2008.

The double British junior champion damaged both her feet in a floor exercise in her first competition after Beijing and has since had two operations and spent six months on crutches.

But she returns to international action in Delhi, where she will be joined in a ten-strong artistic team, that also includes fellow Beijing Olympians Marissa King and Rebecca Wing, as well as 2010 European ream silver medallist Jocelyn Hunt.

"I loved the Commonwealth Games and had such a great time in Melbourne," said Cairns. "My goal was to be there in Delhi.  That is what has kept me in the sport."

Laura Edwards completes the women's line-up as there is no place for double world champion Beth Tweddle or Becky Downie and Nicole Hibbert, all three of which were also members of the European silver medal winning team in April.

The artistic gymnastics competition in Delhi takes place October 4-8, while the World Championships - given precedence by British Gymnastics - are just a few weeks later in Rotterdam.

That also explains the absence of Olympic bronze medallist Louis Smith as well as world silver medallist Daniel Keatings - although the latter is still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered at the start of the year.

That paves the way for Melbourne 2006 team bronze medallist Luke Folwell as well as senior international debutants Reiss Beckford, a 2009 Australian Youth Olympic all-around silver medallist, and Max Whitlock.

Steven Jehu and Danny Lawrence complete the men's team. For Lawrence, Delhi will be third-time lucky. The full-time fireman was reserve for the 2006 team and was under consideration for selection in 2002.

But there is no place for 17-year-old Sam Oldham, who recently returned from the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore with horizontal bar gold and pommel horse silver.

Rachel Ennis, Francesca Fox and Lynne Hutchinson have been named as the three rhythmic gymnasts in the squad.