They are the Scottish stars of the future - the next generation of sporting faces set to take the global stage. ot on the heels of our success at Beijing, the next batch of Olympic hopefuls were yesterday unveiled by Commonwealth Games Scotland.

They are the Scottish stars of the future - the next generation of sporting faces set to take the global stage.

Hot on the heels of our success at Beijing, the next batch of Olympic hopefuls were yesterday unveiled by Commonwealth Games Scotland.

If they do as well as their idols, the all-star line-up set to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Youth Games in India in October could go on to fly the Saltire at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 and Glasgow in 2014 - not to mention being part of the next Team GB at the London Olympics in 2012. Among the 44 athletes included in the squad were some familiar names with strong links to Commonwealth Games success. Liz McColgan's daughter Eilish, 18, has qualified for the 1500m and will join the rest of the squad in Pune, India, on October 11 to 18.

"I'm really happy that I have been selected," she said. "When I was younger I felt more pressure on me because of who my mum was but it doesn't affect me as much now. My mum is very pleased for me. Last year wasn't a great year for me so to come through that and to be going to Commonwealth Youth Games representing Scotland is a big thing."

Fellow athletics hopeful Lynsey Sharp, 18, also has the winning gene. Her mother Carol was Scottish 800m champion and also ran for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games and her father Cameron Sharp was a gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games. He was later involved in a road accident which left him confined to a wheelchair before he learned to walk again.

Lynsey has trained alongside Elish and has been selected to compete in the 800m. "It's particularly exciting for Lynsey and me because we both trained together," Elish said. "My mum coaches us both and I'm so pleased we will be going to India together. The performances by this year's Scottish athletes in Beijing have been inspiring.

"My short-term goal is to do well in India. Although it's going to be extremely hot, I'm aiming to improve on my times and finish quite high up. After that my big aim is Glasgow 2014."

The drive to do well is a common thread running through all the athletes, but with the desire to succeed comes sacrifice.

For 16-year-old weightlifter Amy Hamilton, from Glasgow, missing nights out with friends is a choice she has made on her own terms.

"I miss out a bit on the social side of things, but it's not missing out really because I would rather be in the gym," she said. "Weightlifting is a hook that has gripped me and now I'm addicted."

Assistant general team manager Leslie Roy said: "For these young athletes who are watching the likes of Chris Hoy and seeing what they can achieve, this is only the start. They need to keep on and train hard, dedicate themselves to their sport and that could be them in 2010 and more importantly in Glasgow 2014.

"This month's Olympic success has raised the bar for Scottish athletes, now that they have seen what can be achieved, that the training facilities are there, the coaching facilities are there. It's all about the back-up facilities as well. We want to be achieving success in all the sports."

Stewart Maxwell, Minister for Communities and Sport, said the youth squad flying the flag for Scotland in India carried the hopes of a nation.

"The young athletes here today are raising the profile of sport in Scotland," he said.

If determination is the measure of how successful a budding Olympian will be, it was clear the future of Scottish sport is committed to keep up the winning streak.

Boxing hopeful Jonathan Slowey, 16, from Glasgow, said he had no doubts about his future as an ambassador for Scottish sport. "I'm excited about being selected and I'm proud to be Scottish today," he said. "Other countries think twice now when they hear about a Scottish athlete and I will be a world champion, believe me."