The countdown is on, as in just two days, the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will arrive in Barbados, the 53rd destination out of the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories it will be visiting.
On Friday, 22 April 2022, Lovie Santana, Trinidad and Tobago’s Chef de Mission for Birmingham 2022, will deliver the Baton to Barbados. Craig Fulton, the United Kingdom’s Deputy High Commissioner to Barbados, will join 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, to officially welcome the Baton. The Baton will remain in Barbados until April 25, when it will depart for Montserrat. Barbados is the ninth stop on the Caribbean leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay.
A busy schedule of activities and events are planned for the Queen’s Baton Relay, with opportunities to showcase untold stories from Batonbearers, athletes, and young people who are striving for change in their community.
During its time in Barbados, the Queen’s Baton Relay will visit each of the 11 parishes on the island. The Relay kicks off on Saturday, 23 April in St. George close to Constant Plantation and will end in St. Michael at the historic Garrison Savannah. Some of the notable sites the Queen’s Baton will visit on the island are the South Point Lighthouse in Christ Church, Bushy Park Racing Circuit in St. Philip, Morgan Lewis Windmill in St. Andrew and the Holetown Monument in St. James.
The Queen’s Baton will be carried by Barbadian athletes from the following sports – Swimming, Track, Badminton, Gymnastics, Cricket, Boxing, Cycling, Netball and Triathlon.
Since its inaugural appearance at the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay has been a tradition for the Commonwealth Games.
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay started at Buckingham Palace on October 7, 2021, when Her Majesty 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, who had the honour of being the first of thousands of Baton bearers to carry the Baton.
The Commonwealth Games Barbados President, Sandra Osborne said: “Commonwealth Games Barbados has been looking forward to celebrating the arrival of the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay in Barbados. In anticipation of its arrival, vigorous planning has been taking place to ensure that this occasion is a memorable one, as the Baton makes its trip across our island. We hope all those who participate will enjoy the celebrations and cheer on our Baton bearers.”
The 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay is an epic journey covering the entirety of the Commonwealth as it will travel to all 72 nations and territories, covering a distance of 140,000 kilometres. For 269 days, the Baton will travel to Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Caribbean and the Americas, before it embarks on the final stretch of its journey across England for 25 days.
The Queen’s Baton Relay will complete its journey at the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on 28 July 2022. This is a traditional and fundamental part of the Games and the Opening Ceremony, as the final Baton bearer will pass the Baton back to The Queen. The Queen’s message to the Commonwealth will then be removed from the Baton and read aloud, marking the official start of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
For further information about the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay visit:
www.birmingham2022.com/qbr (PR)
