TEAM Scotland has a proud Commonwealth Games history and has been at the centre of some of the Games' most memorable moments.

Scotland has competed at every Commonwealth Games since the first in 1930, when it was known as the British Empire Games, with the team having won a total of 356 medals to date – 92 gold, 104 silver and 160 bronze, putting Scotland seventh in the all-time medals table.

Scotland's most successful Games star, in terms of gold medals, is sprinter Allan Wells. His four golds are complemented by a bronze and a silver.

Wells won gold in the 100m in Brisbane in 1982, but it is his victory in the 200m final that year that is most remembered. The reigning Olympic 100m champion, from Edinburgh, was neck and neck with England's Mike McFarlane and the race had to be decided by a photo finish.

But not even technology could tell who had crossed the line first and it was the first and only time that a gold medal has been shared.

The Scot who has won the most Commonwealth medals overall is rifleman Alister Allan who has 10 to his name – the Fife sharp-shooter winning three gold, three silver and four bronze at five different Games between 1974 and 1994.

In 1970 Edinburgh hosted the Games for the first time and fans witnessed one of the greatest long-distance races of all time.

Mussel-burgh's Ian Stewart set a European 5000m record when he defeated world record holding Australian Ron Clarke and Olympic 1500m champion Kip Keino, winning international acclaim for his exploits and particularly his incredibly fast final lap.

Clarke would have had his fill of Scots bearing the surname Stewart as he also lost out in the 10,000m in 1970 – this time to West Dunbartonshire man Lachie Stewart who thrilled the crowd with his gold medal-winning performance.

Sir Peter Heatly is one of Team Scotland's most consistent performers, winning gold medals for diving in three successive Games in 1950, 1954 and 1958.

The Leith man has also won one silver and one bronze medal at Commonwealth events.

Lawn bowler Willie Wood won two gold medals as well as one silver and one bronze in a glittering Commonwealth career.

Scotland is know for producing outstanding sporting talents, and sometimes those stars are all the more beloved for their seemingly flawed personalities. Footballers Jimmy Johnstone and Jim Baxter immediately spring to mind. But swimmer David Wilkie had a reputation as a man who was not prepared to put in the hard work to match his obvious talents. He was the first elite swimmer to wear a swim cap at a major competition and went on to win an Olympic gold medal and will forever be remembered for his 200m breaststroke gold-winning swims at the 1970 and 1974 Games. He won gold in 1974 in the 200m individual medley and silver in the 100m breaststroke.

At the 2010 Games in Delhi, India, a new generation of Scots stars came to the fore. A total of 26 medals were won – nine gold, 10 silver and seven bronze. Robbie Renwick and Hannah Miley were the stars in the pool, winning 200m freestyle gold and 400m individual medley gold respectively.

Cyclist David Millar took gold in the men's time trial while light heavyweight boxer Callum Johnson won top prize in the boxing.

With Glasgow 2014 just two years away, there is yet another opportunity for the next generation of Scots sporting stars to write their names into the history books. The athletes can't wait for their chance.

Peter Kirkbride, a weightlifter from East Kilbride, said: "I can't put into words what it would mean to win gold at Glasgow 2014. The hairs go up on your neck just thinking about it.

"It would mean everything. Immense. Pure dead brilliant."

stef.lach@ heraldandtimes.co.uk