Jackson continues to chart an upward curve to Delhi

By Sportsbeat staff

JO Jackson's troubled year continues to show encouraging signs of a change in fortune.

IMPROVING: Jo Jackson is looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games with renewed confidence (Getty Images)

Last year, the Olympic 400m freestyle bronze medallist won three medals at the World Championships and briefly held the world record over 400m freestyle.

However, 2010 has not gone according to plan as Jackson was first laid low with flu and sinus trouble, before a concerning bout of asthma attacks, which led to a rib injury, put her competition schedule in doubt.

Two relay medals at the recent European Championships was encouraging, while she aided her Commonwealth Games ambitions by claiming the 400m freestyle title at the British Gas ASA National Championships in Sunderland.

Although she acknowledges there was room for improvement after clocking 4.09.49, ahead of Anne Bochmann and Louisa Farrer-Fisher.

"That was so much better than last week but I'm still disappointed with the time," said Jackson.

"It's hard with the amount of training that I've missed but these things happen in your career and if I could pick, then this is the best year for it to happen.

"I'm second ranked but I get to race the 200m and the 400m so I'm pleased with that and I'm just going to focus everything on Delhi. There's so much I can do in seven weeks."

Stephanie Proud is looking forward to clashing with Scotland's Hannah Miley - the new European champion - in Delhi.

Australia's Stephanie Rice, the Olympic champion, will be absent from the 400m medley after withdrawing from the Commonwealth Games with a shoulder injury but Proud is confident she can challenge.

She added the 400m medley title to her 200m backstroke victory 24 hours earlier at the ASA Nationals, recording a personal best 4.41.21 in the process.

"I'm really happy with that swim," said Proud. "I've known that I had a good 400m medley time in me for some time so it's nice to finally prove myself.

"I'm going back to the States for a month, focus on my training then it's hopefully off to the holding camp for Delhi."

However, Jessica Dickons is sweating on her Commonwealth selection, despite winning the 200m butterfly, in a time of 2.10.59 that was outside the required standard.

"I'm pretty gutted," said Dickons. "I was obviously hoping to go faster than that and in my two races here I've gone slower in the final than in the heats. I've never done that before.

"I've swam faster than I have for the past two years so that's good and I  know it won't come overnight so I just have to keep working hard."