The team for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland next month, which was named by the British Olympic Association yesterday, seems discouraging for Scotland, who have just four out of 61 competitors in six sports.

The team for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland next month, which was named by the British Olympic Association yesterday, seems discouraging for Scotland, who have just four out of 61 competitors in six sports.

Callum Hawkins, from Kilbarchan (3000 metres), is the only Scot among 23 athletes. Alisdair Stirling and Craig Benson (South Lanarkshire and Livingston respectively) are in a swim squad of 16, and Fifer Morven McCulloch is in the four-strong tennis team.

There's no Scottish presence in gymnastics (six athletes), judo (nine), or cycling (three).

The event in Tampere, from July 18-25, is the 10th edition of the festival, at which some 2500 athletes from 49 European nations compete in nine sports. Britain has sent nobody in basketball, handball or volleyball, a commentary on their perceived importance.

The UK were third in the medal table at the last edition (2007: nine gold, seven silver, seven bronze). A total of 28 British Olympic festival athletes thus far have graduated to Team GB at an Olympic Games. The age range varies across sports, from 13 to 17. It's seen as an important step on the development pathway.

So how serious, given 2012 and 2014 ambitions, is Scotland's paltry presence in this British team? Is expectation being over-hyped?

Scottish Swimming is content with two from 16, and tennis is pleased to have McCulloch as one of four after she picked up her first ATP points recently.

"We have several in Britain's European junior squad, and after the British championships in Glasgow this week, we hope to have several more at the FINA world championships in Rome," said Kirsten Baker at Scottish Swimming.

Athletics and judo are better placed than it appears. Three Scots who might have been included for Finland were named yesterday in Britain's team for the IAAF World Youth Championships in Italy. These finish less than a week earlier. Greg Louden (Lasswade, 400m), Sarah Kelly (Dundee Hawkhill, 1500m), and Myra Perkins (Falkirk, hammer) are in a GB team of 19.

Graeme Randall, head of performance at JudoScotland, was involved in the selection process. "The Youth festival falls very close to the European Cadet Championships, so we had to decide who to send to which," he said. "They're very similar in standard, so we will have Aaron Simpson (Tayside and Fife) and Lauren Harris (Sportif) in Britain's cadet team."

One Scottish rider was short-listed for the three-strong road team. "The team selected by British Cycling was the best for this particular course," said Scottish Cycling. "We're happy with that." Scottish Gymnastics declined to comment on their absence from the GB festival team.