The conditions come after the CGS published their General Selection Policy and Standards document in December, which was based on a level of the ability to deliver a top six performance at the Games.

One of its key aims is to help achieve Scotland’s highest-ever number of medals at an overseas Games, eclipsing their performance at Melbourne 2006 where they finished sixth with 29 medals, 11 of them gold, with the policy produced following consultation with the 17 sports on the Gold Coast 2018 programme.

Under the selection process for athletics, athletes must achieve a qualification standard and finish in the top three at the 2017 British Championships.

Athletes must meet the standard on a minimum of two occasions in other sanctioned events during the period, except for multi-events, 10,000 metres, relays and wheelchair events, where one qualifying standard is required.

Para-athletes will need to finish in the top three at the 2017 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Championships in London.

The athletics qualification period will last from January 1 to October 31 in 2017, although for the marathon the period will begin in September 1 this year. 

“We’re looking to see athletes achieve qualifying performances on the more significant occasions during the window,” said Nigel Holl, chief executive of scottishathletics.

“A good example of this approach is the British Championships in 2017, which offers athletes the chance to win automatic nomination if they pick up a medal and in so doing post a selection standard.

“That’s really to encourage people to perform at such an event – it will be the trials for the 2017 World Championships in London – and to reward those who perform on the day, under the pressure brought about by competing at that event.

“The team is likely to be considerably smaller than in Glasgow – but I believe ultimately those who come through the process will have the potential to be even more successful.”

Swimmers must set qualifying standards at sanctioned events scheduled throughout 2017, including the Scottish and British National Championships.

Scottish Swimming will rank all athletes in a priority order, regardless of their event, in terms of percentage inside the selection time.

The top 16 athletes will be assured of selection, with further swimmers added at the discretion of the performance director and national coach, taking into account form and fitness.

It is hoped the selection process will help Scotland achieve similar success to Glasgow 2014, when they claimed one gold, two silver and one bronze in athletics in front of a home crowd.

The Scottish team earned three gold, three silver and four bronze medals in swimming.

The athletics selection policy can be viewed in full here.

Scottish Swimming's qualification standards can be viewed here.