Games relay will put city in the global spotlight

Tuesday 12 March 2013

Games relay will put city in the global spotlight

Matty Sutton

Reporter

CITIZENS across the Commonwealth of Nations will join in celebrations for Glasgow 2014 ahead of the Games.

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By MATTY SUTTON

All 71 participating countries and territories will be visited by the Queen's Baton Relay.

As reported in later editions of yesterday's Evening Times, details of the route that will be taken by the baton, were revealed at a ceremony at the Emirates Arena.

It will leave Buckingham Palace on October 9, after the Queen has placed a message to the Commonwealth inside it.

The baton, created especially for the Glasgow Games, will then cover an epic 118,060 miles (190,000km) over 248 days, visiting places from the plains of Africa to the skyscrapers of Singapore.

It will travel by land, sea and air, stopping first in Delhi, India, which hosted the 2010 Games.

Then it will continue through Asia, Oceania, and Africa, North and South America and the Caribbean, before returning to Europe, the Home Nations and then Scotland.

The baton will average one to four days in each nation, but will spend seven days in Wales, 14 in England and 40 in Scotland – visiting all 32 council areas – before coming to Glasgow.

A film of the planned journey, narrated by Hobbit star Billy Boyd, was shown at the launch.

Mr Boyd said: "I am really excited about the Games coming to my home city next year."

The relay aims to unite the two billion citizens of the Commonwealth.

Lord Smith of Kelvin, chairman of Glasgow 2014, said: "For Scotland and Glasgow the Queen's Baton Relay creates an unparalleled chance to put both city and nation into the international spotlight."

Shona Robison, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, said: "By visiting every nation and territory which will send a team, the QBR is a great example of why the Commonwealth Games are known as the 'Friendly Games', and we are sure that Glasgow 2014 can be the friendliest yet."

Later this year organisers will reveal the design of the baton as well as details on how people can get involved in the baton's journey across Scotland.

Councillor Archie Graham, executive member for the Games, said: "The relay reminds us that we will soon be host to competitors and visitors from all over the world."

Michael Cavanagh, chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: "There is no better way to spread the word that the Games are coming and that we are all part of a wider Commonwealth family.

matty.sutton@eveningtimes.co.uk

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