FIRST MINISTER Nicola Sturgeon has led the congratulations to Team Scotland for winning a total of 44 medals in the country’s most successful overseas Commonwealth Games.

“Massive congratulations to everyone in @Team_Scotland – thanks to all the athletes and support staff for making us all so proud,” she tweeted.

The medal haul is the nation’s second highest tally in the history of the Commonwealth Games – 14 more than Team Scotland’s pre-games target and not far behind the record of 53 medals at the home games in Glasgow in 2014. The previous highest total for an away games was 29 in Melbourne in 2006.

It means that Scotland finished eighth at the Gold Coast, just behind Wales. Although Team Scotland amassed eight more medals overall, the tally was nine gold, 13 silver and 22 bronze compared to Wales’s 10 gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze.

Home team Australia topped the table with 80 medals, almost twice as many as runner-up England with 45. India came third with 26.

Scotland’s last medal of the games was won by marathon runner Robbie Simpson, who took bronze. However, his success was overshadowed by the collapse of teammate Callum Hawkins, who was leading the race by a full two minutes. The 25-year-old appeared to be on the verge of a shock win, but collapsed twice in the last few kilometres and was rushed to hospital.

Team Scotland later announced that he was making a good recovery and passed on Hawkin’s thanks to the Gold Coast University staff and all of those who had sent messages of support.

Well-wishers included Sturgeon, who tweeted: “Very best wishes to Callum Hawkins for a speedy recovery – he’s a brilliant athlete and I’ve no doubt we’ll see him competing at the highest level and winning medals for a long time to come.”

However, there was criticism that Hawkins was left lying in obvious distress while spectators – some taking photographs – looked on.

BBC Sport commentator Steve Cram said it was “a disgrace” that it took so long for any paramedics to attend to the runner.

Cram said: “I’m just concerned for his welfare. He hit his head on the barrier. I’m sorry if you’re watching this at home, it’s really distressing. He’s going to hurt himself and there’s nobody anywhere near.

“We should have some more medical attention. This is a guy in real distress and someone needs to recognise it for his health at this point.

“Where on earth is the help? You cannot just wait at the finish line. They’ve got radios.”

When asked to explain why it took so long for paramedics to attend to Hawkins, Gold Coast organising committee (GOLDOC) chief executive Mark Peters said: “You can’t have medical people on every kilometre of the road. They are professionally positioned, as they are for our Gold Coast marathon when we have 30,000 people running.

“Sometimes medical people arrive and athletes have to make a decision whether they want to go on or not, and I understand that was part of the discussion.”

Team Scotland said: “Whilst Callum’s recovery is our clear priority, we are still reviewing the circumstances of today’s race with GOLDOC and the Commonwealth Games Federation to ensure the continued health and wellbeing of all athletes remains paramount.”

Also yesterday, wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn finished fourth in the T54 marathon in 1:45:02 while Scotland’s men’s basketball team lost 79-69 to New Zealand’s Tall Blacks in the bronze medal match.

That defeat, and the 103-46 semi- final rout by Australia, did not detract from what was a sensational tournament for Rob Beveridge’s charges, who topped their preliminary group stage with three wins from three before securing a famous victory over Nigeria.

Swimmer Duncan Scott – who became Scotland’s most decorated athlete at a single games by winning one gold, one silver and four bronze medals – was chosen as flag bearer for the closing ceremony.