Swimmers Ready for the Games to Begin
Ross Murdoch at Team Scotland Prep Camp
Our swimmers and divers arrived in the athlete village on Sunday afternoon, relaxed and raring to go after an excellent holding camp in Aberdeen.
Fresh from their holding camp in Aberdeen, even the most experienced of athletes, Ross Murdoch, Robbie Renwick Robbie and Michael Jamieson, admitted to having butterflies when seeing Tollcross, a venue they all know extremely well.
Murdoch said: "I am buzzing to be here in Glasgow, it's crazy. It was good to be away in Aberdeen with just the squad last week. It was really calm and relaxing. Arriving in Glasgow is unbelievable, we were on the bus heading to the pool and people were waving at us and cheering. It's really cool to experience that."
When asked about when he started preparing for the Games, Murdoch continued, "Five or six years ago, the thought of competing for Scotland in Glasgow was just a dream. I wasn't the best age group swimmer but in 2011 I started to post some decent times and it was then I committed to making that dream a reality.
"In the 100m breaststroke event I'll be competing against the likes of Christian Sprenger (AUS) and Cameron van der Burgh (SA). These are the guys I need to be racing against at every opportunity and I can't wait for Friday, especially when I'll have the support from the home crowd."
Defending 200m freestyle Champion, Robbie Renwick, was also in relaxed mood and said, "The next few days is all about the little details and I'll be keeping my head down, relaxing with my feet up and settling into village life. Any training at the pool will just be short, sharp sessions, the hard word is done.
"I'm looking forward to the chance to defend my title and of course there's the 4x200m freestyle to look forward to. Scotland have won silver in the last two Games in that event, and take it from me, the team are looking good."
A veteran of three Commonwealth Games, Renwick spoke about being a Team Scotland member,
"I love being part of Team Scotland. It is great to be amongst other sports people who train hard and who are committed to being the best they can be throughout the year."
The opening day of the swimming competition is a big one for the Scottish athletes, none more so than Team Scotland's poster-boy, Michael Jamieson, who will be going for gold in the 200m breaststroke.
He said, "Wednesday night will be spent doing the usual shaving down. I'll watch some of the opening ceremony from the village but it will be a quiet time. I'm OK with the pressure at the moment, but it's not unheard of for me to have a minor meltdown.
"The support I've been getting from everyone has been immense. Scots really know how to get behind their own. I've prepared the best way I can; at the holding camp in Aberdeen I was able to do my own thing, relax and just hang out with the rest of the team, which was ideal.
"It took a world record to beat me in London and I swam a PB during that final. This year alone I've matched that time of 2:07 twice, and I know I'm going to have to post a best time again on Thursday to be in the mix. I am feeling refreshed, I'm well prepared and I'm ready to race."
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.
Find out more about our Team Scotland athletes here