McColgan urges Scots to build

Double Commonwealth champion Liz McColgan has urged Scotland's sports coaches to use Glasgow's 2014 victory to instil a winning mentality in the country's promising athletes.

McColgan's immediate thought after hearing that Glasgow had won the Games was that the chance to compete in front of a Scottish crowd should inspire a new generation. But she believes Scots should be encouraged to aim for the top rather than accept just making the Games.

She said: "We have got a showcase now, getting the Games in 2014 - let's see how many Scots can stand on that podium with gold medals. What we have to instil is that it's okay to think 'I want to be the best' and not suppress that any more."

She added: "A lot of the athletes have easier pathways to the top. If you are talented, you are identified, put into squads and you have got great coaching facilities.

"But even with all this we are still not producing people to win. This is the difference now - we have got the set-up in place and what we have to do now is get the kids and make them winners."

She added: "For too long we have always said 'it's okay to take part'. Now is the day we turn round and say 'we have got to be competitive because Scotland wants to win'."