Team Scotland could get off to a flying start tomorrow as the swimming competition begins its 6-day run at Tollcross International Swimming Centre.

Defending Champion Hannah Miley will look to regain her Commonwealth crown in the 400m IM. The 24-year old had to wait until the last day to secure victory in Delhi but this time has the opportunity to win Scotland’s first swimming medal of the Games. It will be a tough ask as her main rival, Aimee Willmott of England, is currently ranked number one in the world for the event. Miley holds the current Games record of 4:38.83, which she set in Delhi.

Glasgow-born Michael Jamieson will undoubtedly raise the roof when he steps onto the blocks in the 200m breaststroke. The Olympic silver medallist also won silver in the event in Delhi in 2010 but is favourite for gold here in Glasgow. He will be pushed hard by his English training partner Andrew Willis, as well as his Team Scotland team-mates Ross Murdoch and Calum Tait.

Heat three of the men’s 400m freestyle features all three of the Scottish swimmers entered in the event with Robbie Renwick, Dan Wallace and Stephen Milne set to make their mark. While Renwick freely admits to his preferred event being the 200m freestyle, he will be keen to use this race to shake off any nerves before Friday’s 200m race.

Caitlin McClatchey, competing in her third consecutive Games for Scotland, contests the 200m freestyle, one of the two events she won in Melbourne back in 2006, upsetting the form book and beating home favourite Libby Trickett. McClatchey’s winning time from Melbourne of 1:57.25 remains the Games record.

Club training partners Andrea Strachan, Corrie Scott and Kathryn Johnstone will all look to progress to the semi-finals of the 50m breaststroke. Scott is the fastest of the three on paper, setting the current Scottish record time of 31.38 at Tollcross during the Trials back in April.

In the 100m backstroke, Craig McNally and Ryan Bennett will feature for Scotland. McNally is better known for the 200m backstroke, but says he will use this to help his speed work and to get rid of any pre-race jitters. Bennett was a finalist in this event in Delhi for the English team.

The Swimming competition starts on Thursday 24 July and continues until Tuesday 29July, before the Aquatics Diving programme begins on Wednesday 30 July at the Royal Commonwealth Pool.

Photo Credit: Duncan McEwan