After misery under the Great Britain banner at the World Championships in Barcelona last summer, the fresh waters of Glasgow offer home nation swimmers a new start at the Commonwealth Games.

Fran Halsall’s solitary bronze in the 50m freestyle in Catalonia meant Team GB fell two medals short of their target and returned to their home pools with criticism ringing in their ears, especially after relative disappointments of London 2012.

Glasgow offers a chance of redemption, though, with the Commonwealth Games having frequently offered rich pickings for swimmers from these shores.

Halsall heads the England squad, with the 24-year-old appearing in a third straight Games and with five medals to defend from Delhi in 2010. The Southport swimmer took gold in the 50m freestyle, three silvers and a bronze in India and carries high hopes with her to Scotland.

Behind her the likes of Liam Tancock, a double medal winner in 2010 and the world record-holder in the 50m backstroke, offer promise, as does Paralympic champion Ollie Hynd on his Games debut.

Scottish fans have a large but inexperienced squad to cheer on, although Glasgow-born Michael Jamieson will surely fancy upgrading the 200m breaststroke silver he won at the London Olympics.

While the swimming takes place at the Tolcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow, 45 miles away in Edinburgh, the most recognisable face in British aquatics can expect to top the bill in the diving.

Tom Daley has long been a poster boy for his sport, and will arrive in the Scottish capital as a relatively seasoned head at the age of 20, with that status underlined by the presence of the likes of 14-year-old Matthew Dixon and 16-year-old Matty Lee in England’s 15-strong party.

Daley has two gold medals to defend, but the likelihood is that only one will be, as he has been unable to find a partner for the 10m synchro with long-time sidekick Peter Waterfield having retired. It means Daley will probably challenge alone in the 10m platform.