Swimmming: Former double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has 'no intention' of competing in Rio 2016

Former double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has set her sights on helping rising stars after confirming she has no intention of competiting in Brazil in 2016.

Adlington, who won double gold in Beijing but fell short of the top step of the podium at London 2012, may take part in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in two years.

The 23-year-old from Mansfield, who added bronze medals in the 800m and 400m freestyle in London to the golds she won in Beijing, is also considering swimming over a shorter distance in Glasgow.

"Rio is out of reach. I'll be 27 by then, and swimming, especially for distance swimmers, is a young person's game," Adlington told the Mail on Sunday.

"If I was a sprinter then I would go to Rio. But I don't have an ounce of sprinting in me, and that's why my Olympics are over."

Adlington, who hopes to be in Rio at least as a fan, will drop down to 200m in Glasgow if she takes part.

"If I were to race in Glasgow - and that's an if - then it would be in the 200m and 400m but definitely not the 800m. I'm done with that distance.

"I'd like to be in Rio, though, even if I'm just a fan.

"Hopefully I can be a bit more than that, like a mentor, or have some kind of official or unofficial role with the British swimming team."

Adlington has charity work planned but is not sure what she wants to do in the future.

"All I know is that three Olympics is one too many for me," she added.

PA