McColgan wins the gold medal at Meadowbank Stadium in 1986

Athletics legend Liz McColgan says a successful Glasgow bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games would provide inspiration to a new generation of Scottish athletes.

McColgan - who took gold in the 10,000m the last time Scotland hosted the event - now coaches athletes in her home city of Dundee, including her eldest daughter Eilish.

"Glasgow would hold a very successful Commonwealth Games," she told BBC Sport.

"Should Glasgow be awarded the games, it will inspire a lot of young athletes who will be desperate to do well at an event in their home country.

"It's amazing what an event like this can do for the country as it will provide young athletes with something to aim for.

Glasgow and Scotland as a whole, have proved in the past that it can put on spectacular events Liz McColgan

"It's amazing what hosting this would do for the whole country, it would be really exciting."

McColgan's glorious career also saw her take gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland and the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo.

And she claims that had the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games not been held in Scotland, she would not have enjoyed the success she did.

"I probably wouldn't have won that day had the event not been in Scotland," she added.

"The fact it was in this country made me want it more and I think Glasgow will do the same for the young sports men and women.

"Glasgow and Scotland as a whole, have proved in the past that it can put on spectacular events and a lot of them have been second to none.

"It takes an inspired performance to win at these events and that's what you get when you have a games in your own country, you actually go beyond the call of duty."

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Eilish McColgan is hoping to follow in her mother's footsteps and wants to be a success on home soil at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

The 16-year-old was third in the UK under-17 steeplechase standings in 2006 and has already started dreaming of making an impression at a Glasgow hosted Commonwealth Games.

"Because it'll hopefully be in Glasgow in 2014, myself and my training group are of the age that we hope to be competing at that level by then.

"London in 2012 is another target.

"Hopefully I'll be there challenging as an athlete and competitor in my home country.