SUCCESSFULLY hosting the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup has proved Scotland is an ideal location for major sporting events, according to sportscotland chairwoman Louise Martin.

She made the comment as she reviewed "a remarkable year" for Scottish sport in 2014 and looked forward to the year ahead.

Ms Martin said the Games had been a catalyst for implementing a world class sporting system at every level.

That has resulted in schools, clubs and performance sport being able to help Scots athletes maximise their potential.

Sportscotland has established Active Schools, a programme designed to encourage children and young people to get active and stay active.

Figures from the 2013/14 academic year show record levels of achievement for the programme right across the board.

There is now the highest number and range of sessions being delivered by the most volunteers and over 21,000 school and club links now established.

Ms Martin said: "The success of sportscotland's Active Schools network has been phenomenal with record levels of participation and our recent £50million investment has secured it for a further four years."

This year the athletes who made up Team Scotland during the Games had the country cheering themselves hoarse.

Ms Martin said: "Team Scotland athletes delivered unprecedented success, winning a record 53 medals, including the nation's best ever tally of 19 golds and finishing a very impressive fourth in the overall medal table.

"That success was no fluke as it was delivered thanks to a very successful collaborative approach between the athletes, Commonwealth Games Scotland, the governing bodies of sport, coaches, and the experts at the sportscotland institute of sport.

"We also enjoyed success in 2014 beyond the Glasgow Games. For the first time ever, all three curling teams - all Scots - won medals at the Winter Olympics and Paralympics earlier this year in Sochi. None of those athletes could do their job without a strong coaching network to support them.

"In addition, Scotland's facilities are now the best they have ever been and crucially, are being well used by both performance athletes and the local communities they serve.

"A number of centres of sporting excellence are already in place across Scotland, including the Emirates Arena, Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and Tollcross Aquatics Centre in Glasgow.

"In addition, at least £9m is being invested in sportscotland's National Centre Inverclyde, which will become Scotland's first dedicated para-sport centre of excellence.

"A further legacy from the Glasgow Games has seen over £600,000 of equipment distributed to schools, clubs, governing bodies and local authorities around Scotland.

"From the Hampden track where Eilidh Child won her silver medal to the boxing ring where Charlie 'The Mailman' Flynn delivered, a whole new generation of Scots is being inspired to get active and see where their sporting journey could take them.

"2014, without doubt, represented a defining moment for sport in this country and the focus is now on continuing to delivering a sporting legacy to be proud of in 2015."