Commonwealth Games: Team Scotland kick off opening ceremony

Team Scotland was the first nation out into the arena for the opening ceremony of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia's Gold Coast.

The opening ceremony for the 2018 Commonwealth Games got under way at 11:00BST (2000 local time), with the main show beginning an hour later.

Scotland has its largest team ever to travel away and a coterie of athletes able to win medals.

Eilidh Doyle, flag bearer of Scotland arrives with Scotland team during the Opening Ceremony for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Eilidh Doyle, Scotland’s first ever female flag bearer, led the Scots out at what was her first opening ceremony.

The 400m hurdler enjoyed the privilege of being the first athlete to walk into the Carrara Stadium, leading a procession of more than 6,600 competitors from the 70 participating nations.

As the previous host nation before Australia, Scotland was the first team to march in the traditional procession for the XXI Games.

She is a three times World Championship medallist in the same event and won the European 400m hurdles title in 2014. She has twice claimed silver medals at the Commonwealth Games in the hurdles.

The Perth-born 31-year-old has captained Great Britain’s athletics team in the past, and won Olympic bronze in the women’s 4x400 metre relay in Rio.