HIGH on the list of goals of this summer's Commonwealth Games was inspiring young people.

There is still scope for debate about whether watching elite sports really does encourage the young to get more active.

But inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes, including both the sporting and the literary, and there is little doubt swimming gold medallist Ross Murdoch had an impact on one young fan.

Quietly busy, five-year-old Brian Fitzpatrick, of Dumbarton, only paused to ask his mother how to spell "I hope you like it?" as he put together a package of drawings for his Team Scotland to post - with limited address details - to neighbouring Balloch.

Young Brian's sign-off was equally brief, offering just his first name and age. Yet thanks to social media, Murdoch was quickly able to identify the source, enabling the swimmer to arrange to meet his young fan.

Perhaps this is the first sighting of a member of Team Scotland 2030 - or even a future Herald letter-writer.

Brian certainly has the drive and the single-mindedness that are needed by all top sportsmen and women, talents which are also regularly displayed on our letters page.