The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton arrived in Barbados today, reaching the 53rd destination out of the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories it will be visiting.
The baton arrived at Grantley Adams International Airport, from Trinidad and Tobago, around 10:30 a.m.
United Kingdom’s Deputy High Commissioner to Barbados Craig Fulton; Cameron Burke, Chef de Mission for Birmingham 2022 and Vice President of Commonwealth Games Barbados; and Shelley-Ann Griffith, Assistant Secretary General of Commonwealth Games Barbados were present for the arrival of the baton.
Lovie Santana, Trinidad and Tobago’s Chef de Mission for Birmingham 2022 delivered the baton.
A media release said the Queen’s Baton, which carries a message from Her Majesty The Queen, arrived here ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be held in England from July 28 to August 8.
The Baton is in Barbados for four days. It will be carried by Batonbearers, all outstanding Barbadian athletes, during the Baton Relay tomorrow, starting in St George and ending in St Michael.
Scheduled stops include: the PEG Farms Nature Sanctuary in St Joseph, Cherry Tree Hill and St Nicholas Abbey in St Peter, the Historic Garrison Savannah in St Michael, and Bushy Park Racing Circuit in St Philip.
Organiser for the Queen’s Baton RelayGail Craig-Archer said, “Barbados is the 53rd stop on the journey for the Baton before the Birmingham Games . . . . Our first stop would be Bulkeley Sugar Factory, then we go off to South Point Lighthouse, then the Baton is going to take a lap around the Bushy Park Track. Barbados so far will be the only country that will have the Baton in a racing car going around the track. So we’re very excited about that. Then on Sunday, the Baton will be hosted by the British High Commissioner.”
Craig-Archer said the baton will be taken to Montserrat on Monday. She noted that Monday marks the 200th day it has been travelling around the Commonwealth.
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay started at Buckingham Palace on October 7, 2021, when the Queen placed her Message to the Commonwealth into the Baton and passed it to four-time Paralympic gold medallist and Team England athlete Kadeena Cox.
The 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay will cover 140 000 kilometres. It is a long-standing tradition of the Commonwealth Games which started in 1958 at the Games held in Cardiff, Wales.
The Queen’s Baton was previously in Barbados for the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. (PR)