Scotland’s Callum Hawkins is recovering in hospital after collapsing during the men’s Commonwealth Games marathon on Sunday.

The 25-year-old fell while leading the marathon with a mile-and-a-half left and needed medical attention.

He was struggling on the ground for several minutes in the 27 degree heat before eventually being helped into an ambulance.

But the Scotland team issued a positive update on the runner with a tweet that read: “We are very pleased to report that Callum is sitting up and speaking with his Dad and Team Scotland medical staff.  He is undergoing further tests as a precaution and we all wish him a speedy recovery.”

There was a similarly encouraging message from Hawkins’ agency, Moyo Sports,  in a tweet which read: “Callum Hawkins is sitting up and talking after having been taken to hospital. This is a fighter here and we are incredibly proud of the gutsy run he put in @GC2018. He will be back.”

GOLDOC confirmed medical staff were posted at 500 metre intervals in the final kilometres of the course with radio communications.

Mark Peters, GOLDOC chief executive,  defended the organising committee.

“I like many others was distressed to see a wonderful athlete like Callum collapse during the closing stages of today’s Marathon,” he said.

“We are offering every assistance possible to Callum and Team Scotland.
GOLDOC has put in place a wide range of measures to ensure athlete welfare and the response of medical staff this morning was within agreed response guidelines and timeframes.

“I was also concerned about the behaviour of a small number of bystanders who chose to take images. This is not in keeping with the spirit of GC2018.”

Australia’s Michael Shelley celebrates after winning the men’s marathon on the final day of the Commonwealth Games
Australia’s Michael Shelley celebrates after winning the men’s marathon on the final day of the Commonwealth Games (Manish Swarup/AP)

Going into the final quarter of the race Hawkins, who finished fourth in the World Championships last year, was looking set to claim his first major medal.

He had a lead of 41 seconds before his fall, which denied him the chance of victory on the Gold Coast.

Hawkins had moved away from the pack and opened up a gap from Uganda’s Munyo Solomon Mutai, who was initially behind him in second.

He passed the halfway point in one hour 07:44 minutes and was living up to his pre-race favourite tag before the drama.

Australia’s Michael Shelley overtook Hawkins while he was on the ground to claim back-to-back Commonwealth titles.

Hawkins’ Scotland team-mate Robbie Simpson took bronze behind Mutai.

Namibia’s Helalia Johannes won the women’s marathon ahead of Australian duo Lisa Weightman and Jessica Trengove.

Earlier, England’s John Smith and Simon Lawson won silver and bronze respectively in the men’s T54 marathon.

Team-mate Jade Jones also came third in the women’s T54 event on the final day of the Commonwealth Games.