Dolphins all set to make a splash

Their domination in the pool at the Commonwealth Games is absolutely unrivalled.

But Australia’s swim team won’t be taking anything for granted when they carry the hopes of a nation in Glasgow today.

The Dolphins’ vaunted collection of swimmers include multiple Olympic medallists and record breakers galore, each hoping to come home from Scotland with nothing less than gold.

In preparation, the Aussies were put through their paces in a training session on Thursday, with enigmatic coach Dean Boxall saving his voice for event day instead — instead using a whistle to dictate proceedings.

Boxall has become well known for his passionate reactions to success, going viral at the Tokyo Olympics when celebrating Ariarne Titmus’ barnstorming performances.

Since then, he has become a regular feature around the team as a whole and was seen dishing out plenty of advice at the session, including to Queensland ace Elijah Winnington.

With many of the squad in action straight away, it could prove vital.

One of the team’s stars will feature in the Games’ first event — scheduled for 7.30pm tonight — with long-distance champion Lani Pallister kicking off her campaign in the 400m freestyle heats.

But with medals set to be handed out on Day 1 all eyes will be on the pool from 10pm.

Among the finals will be the women’s and men’s 4x100m freestyle — a highlight of the Games — in which both Aussie teams attempt to defend their crowns from Birmingham in 2022.

Australia swept all three 4×100 freestyle categories at the last Games, including the mixed event, and will be the favourites to do so again.

Molly O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack, who led the way in Paris when Australia claimed Olympic gold, will power the team.

Jack, who was all smiles with her teammates poolside yesterday, will no doubt be fuelled by the extra motivation of her pending retirement after the Games.

She and O’Callaghan will be joined by young gun Meg Harris in the relay, who is also a Commonwealth and Olympic medallist.

However, Harris will likely be responsible for more highlights beyond the relay, with the 24-year-old gunning for her first individual gold medal.

She came close on debut in Birmingham, nabbing a silver medal behind Aussie superstar Emma McKeon and was again runner-up in the 50m freestyle in the Olympics in Paris.

But she enters Glasgow with an individual world title from 2025 under her belt and as an established member of the squad.

Common Games actually was her first team that I made an individual race for last time in Birmingham,” Harris said.

“I got silver last time, so hopefully I can improve a little bit on that this time. That’s one of the goals.

“Especially considering it’s (the Games), I was one of the young ones who transitioned on, and now I’ve established myself onto the team. Hopefully, I can be a leader on this team and carry that forward.”

For the men, much of the hype surrounds their fast-finishing torpedo, Kyle Chalmers.

He will be crucial in the men’s relay team but will also be hoping to start well as he prepares to defend his 100m freestyle title later in the program.

One of the other must-watch stars, Cam McEvoy, will have to wait until day two for his chance to shine, in the 50m freestyle, an event for which he owns the world record.

Saturday’s program will likely be dominated by McEvoy’s hunt for gold, with his return to the Commonwealth Games a full-circle moment in his career.

CASH BONUS TO KEEP SWIMMERS AFLOAT

Our top performers in the pool will not only bring home a shiny medal from Glasgow but thousands of dollars in cash.

Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart, is putting up rewards for any swimming gold, silver and bronze medals — as an extension of her longstanding support for the nation’s swimmers.

Every gold medal winner in an individual event will collect $20,000 each — plus an extra $10,000 should they break a world record. A silver medallist will earn $15,000 and a bronze $10,000, while those who experience relay success will share the spoils.

“There is something very uplifting about seeing an Australian athlete stand on the podium while our flag is raised. Such exciting times make Australians proud and deserve to be celebrated,” Mrs Rinehart said.

The 32-year-old swam at the 2012 London Olympics, but his breakout came in the Games in Scotland two years later with two relay gold medals.

Remarkably in the 12 years since, he has been unable to add an individual Commonwealth gold to his huge haul of medals.

It looked as though he would never get the chance four years ago after he took a sabbatical to rediscover his passion for the pool and nearly called time on his career.

Now he says he’s much better placed to succeed than the “super shy” 19-year-old he was last time out in the Scottish Lowlands.

“I’m in the same sport,” McEvoy now a father, explains.

“But the way I’m conducting training on a day-to-day basis, the way being on the team feels now compared to (being) a rookie, (it) almost feels like it’s a new sport, in a sense.

“It’s nice, I will just take it all in. I was basically a kid back then, and now my own world.

“There’s actually a member of the swim team who’s 14 (Mia Hogan), so she was only two when I was competing here last time.”