FIVE Scots line up for the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon this weekend. The Diamond League event is named in memory of middle-distance icon Steve Prefontaine who held every US record from 2000 to 10,000 metres. Scotland's Ian Stewart out-sprinted "Pre" for Olympic 5000m bronze in 1972 and fate denied the American any chance to improve on that. He died in a car crash in 1975.

The presence of the five (Laura Muir, 1500m; Lynsey Sharp, 800m; Eilish McColgan, 5000m; Andrew Butchart, 5000m; and Chris O'Hare, mile) speaks volumes for the sport's domestic resurgence. Especially when one considers that hurdler Eilidh Doyle (eighth in the world last year) is absent along with newly-crowned British 10,000m gold and silver medallists Beth Potter and Steph Twell. Also missing is double Paralympic champion Libby Clegg – the hosts' only gold medallist of Glasgow 2014 – and Scotland's Olympic marathon trio.

So the Eugene grand prix is very much a landmark, and Liz McColgan is right to highlight it. Her daughter, Eilish, ran last night, but the other Scots are in action today. Even in the so-called golden age of the sport I cannot recall so many Scots in a grand prix. However, before we go completely overboard, it's worth recalling the quality of the class of the 1980s and '90s.

Yes, Muir, who tonight makes her first track appearance since her European Indoor Championship golden double at 1500 and 5000m was world No.1 over the metric mile last year. Sharp ranked eighth over 800m as did Doyle at 400m hurdles – the only Scots in the world top 10 last summer.

Compare that with the era the sport is desperate to consign to history. Four athletes were top-10 in six events 25 years ago: Tom McKean (ninth, 800m), Tom Hanlon (seventh, steeplechase), Yvonne Murray and Liz McColgan were fourth and sixth respectively at 3000m, and McColgan was first and ninth at 10,000m and the marathon. There were similar results over several seasons, with 400m-man Brian Whittle often featuring between 50 and 100 at 400m. These five athletes were disguising the poverty of Scottish athletics, for below them was a near-wasteland.

And that's the significant change. Yes, sprints are embarrassing. Our top male 100m runner clocked 10.41, 27th in the UK last year. A total of 193 people worldwide ran 10.25 or faster. After that, statisticians stop counting. The fastest woman ran 11.63, 18th in Britain. She is under 20, so there is hope, but 194 women worldwide ran 11.43 or better last year.

Despite that, Scotland now enjoys a broader presence, and in greater depth. Behind Muir at 1500m last summer were McColgan (25) and Twell (47). At 5000m there was Twell (26), McColgan (34), and Laura Whittle (42). At 10k last year Potter was 62nd, while Mark Dry ranked 27th in the hammer, and Allan Smith was 40th in the high jump. Don't look too closely at Callum Hawkins' marathon ranking (157th). He was ninth in the Olympics – talent that will put him close to World medal contention. Jim Alder, last Scot to win a major marathon title (1966 Empire Games) is mightily impressed. "All he has to do is be more patient, and learn to bide his time," he told me.

Chris O'Hare is enjoying the form of his life after a torrid injury battle. World-ranked 38th at 1500m last year he leapt to ninth with his lifetime best last week, 3:34.35 – third fastest ever by a Scot, just 0.52 outside John Robson's Scottish record, now 37 years old.

In running that, O'Hare was just two strides behind Mo Farah, current UK No.1. The next three behind O'Hare in this year's UK rankings are Scots.

However, Scotland's most exciting men's prospect is Central's Andy Butchart. He set two Scottish 5000m records last year. The first ended the reign of Nat Muir, and the second took sixth in the Olympic final behind gold medallist Mo Farah.

Butchart's time in Rio, 13:08.61, is almost 10 seconds better than Muir's mark which had stood for 37 years. But here's the real yardstick of how this event has progressed: the last Scot to hold any world best in an Olympic athletics event was Archie Robertson, one of only six Scots to win Olympic athletics titles. Educated at Kelvinside Academy, he took gold in the three-mile team race at the 1908 Olympics, and one of his many Scottish records lasted 45 years. Shortly after the 1908 London Games (where he also won steeplechase silver) he broke the world 5000m record in Stockholm, by 12 seconds. His time, 15:01.2, means Butchart is now more that two minutes inside the record which Robertson broke 109 years ago this summer.

The world best now stands at 12:37.35, and seven of Butchart's rivals tonight, including Farah, have run below 13 minutes.

There is a double spur for all Scottish athletes this year: Commonwealth selection for next year, and World qualifying standards for London this year.

The least even contest tonight will be the women's 800m. A virtual rerun of the Olympic final, it features three women who are at the centre of accusations that they are androgynous, benefitting from naturally high levels of testosterone. Unless the Court of Arbitration for Sport intervenes, Caster Semenya will almost certainly head an action replay of the Rio podium in the London Worlds. Sharp and the others will be running for fourth.