Commonwealth Games: Scotland target record medal haul at Gold Coast in 2018

Jon Doig is seeking Scotland's "best-ever" overseas medal haul

Scotland will be targeting an overseas record haul of 30 medals at next year's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, says the head of Team Scotland.

Chef de Mission Jon Doig, speaking 12 months before the Games get under way, said the 2006 Melbourne Games would act as the "benchmark".

Scotland won 29 medals in Melbourne and Doig hopes to eclipse that number.

"We're looking for that best-ever overseas performance," Doig told BBC Radio Scotland.

Doig says the Scots involved will relish the prospect of competing at the Gold Coast Games.

'Things are on track'

"There's been a bit of a change for the programme from Glasgow (2014) which makes it a bit more challenging for us with Judo being out," he added.

"We've got some great sports like beach volleyball and basketball in there. There are also some other changes, we've now got equality in the middle programme between male and female. And, of course, we've got the para sports as well.

"We're really looking forward to it; things are on track and the selection period is open for us. We've got some great performances already starting to happen.

"We're looking for that best-ever overseas performance. Melbourne is a really good benchmark for us because it was nearly the same programme and the same time of year, and challenges and preparation.

"So, that's our first benchmark and, once we get past that particular point, then we'll be looking for other performances to come in and then go past that point."

Beattie eyes Gold Coast beach path

Lynne Beattie, who captained the British volleyball team at the London Olympics, is hoping to qualify for the Gold Coast with partner Melissa Coutts after making the switch to beach volleyball, which will be played for first time at a Commonwealth Games.

"I represented Team GB at London 2012, so now to have the opportunity to represent Team Scotland in the Gold Coast is an absolutely massive opportunity not just for us as a team but our sport as well," she said.

The pair have just returned from competing in their first world tour event in Sydney, where they finished ninth.

"There are a couple of routes to quality for the Games and one of those is a top-four world ranking by September and the other is a one-off continental tournament in September," Beattie added.

"The winner of that would then go in and we are trying to keep our options open.

"We are really optimistic and our training is going really well."