Leader comment: Scots lead the way at Commonwealth Games

With a day to go until the start of the Commonwealth Games in Australia, hopes are high for Team Scotland.

Eilidh Doyle waves a Scotland flag ahead of the opening of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia

This country’s largest ever team for an away games – with 93 female and 131 male athletes – is unlikely to surpass the 53 medals won at the 2014 event in front of a home crowd in Glasgow. But they have a more reasonable target of setting a new medals record for an away competition.

However, regardless of their performance, we should be proud of everyone in the team because they are Scotland’s finest athletes – the fastest, strongest, fittest and most skilled in the 18 different disciplines from this country.

We should not forget that simply getting to the Games is a considerable achievement.

For runner and hurdler Eilidh Doyle, it will be doubly special as she will bear the Saltire during the opening ceremony, leading out not just Team Scotland but all the other nations as Scotland hosted the previous event.

The Scotsman would like to pass on its best wishes to all those taking part.