FORMER Commonwealth gold medallist Chris Cook believes Jo Jackson is back to her best and with the Olympics on the horizon it is not a moment too soon.

Jackson stormed to bronze four years ago at the Beijing Olympics in the 400m freestyle and followed it up with a silver at the World Championships a year later.

The stage seemed set for Jackson, along with friend and rival Rebecca Adlington, to dominate the discipline for years to come.

But Jackson has endured a string of setbacks related to her asthma since then, until she returned to form in March's Olympic trials, taking second in the 400m to secure her spot in London.

And Cook, who hails from South Shields while Jackson comes from Richmond, cannot wait to see the 25-year-old strut her stuff back on the big stage.

"Jo is back to her best and just in time as well. That girl is an absolute warrior and I feel lucky to able to call her a friend," said Cook, who won Commonwealth gold in the 100m breaststroke in Melbourne in 2006.

"She's got the most tremendous attitude and is such a lovely girl, I think it's safe to say that everyone in Team GB is behind her.

"She's had her lows but she's back now and that's what sport is all about really, peaking at the right time.

"Sometimes you get it wrong, but when it comes together and you're peaking at the right time and the right place then anything can happen. It doesn't get any more exciting than an Olympics."

Jackson has her fair share of experience on the big stage having won bronze in Beijing and also competed in 2004 in Athens.

And Cook is sure that it will be her big match temperament that will prove vital when the games get underway this summer.

"Jo's been there and done it all before and when you combine that with it being a home Olympics as well it could be something very special," he added.

"It's going to be so important, the home crowd, the home pool and the home comforts, our swimming team is looking very strong."

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