The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay has completed its visit to Barbados, the 53rd destination out of the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories it will be visiting.
Before departing the island the Baton visited BenMar, the official residence of the British High Commissioner to Barbados, on Sunday, 24 April, where a reception was held. Several athletes, past and present, and the Board and staff of Commonwealth Games Barbados were in attendance.
The reception was hosted by the United Kingdom’s Deputy High Commissioner to Barbados, Craig Fulton. He was joined by the staff of the High Commission, which also serves Dominica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Deputy High Commissioner to Barbados Craig Fulton said, “The Baton represents the shared values and friendship of the Commonwealth family of nations, and the importance of youth in sport for all of the over 2.5 billion citizens in the 54 member countries, as we all work together for collective prosperity, democracy and peace”.
Referring to the upcoming Birmingham Games, he noted that the Barbados’ athletes will compete in swimming, track, badminton, gymnastics, cricket, boxing, cycling, netball and triathlon. Deputy High Commissioner Fulton, singled out the Women’s Cricket Team, noting that the 2022 Games will be the first time women’s cricket will be featured at the Commonwealth Games. He also said that this year’s Games will feature the most extensive integrated Parasports programme. He wished all athletes the best of luck in Birmingham.
Leading the Commonwealth Games Barbados contingent was President Sandra Osborne. She was joined by other members of the Board, including Cameron Burke, Vice President and Chef de Mission for Birmingham 2022, Secretary General Erskine Simmons and Assistant Secretary General Shelley-Ann Griffith.
President Osborne stated, “During the time the Baton has been in Barbados, in particular as it traversed the island on Saturday for the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay, I got a sense of the solidarity, hope and collaboration that the Queen’s Baton represents and for which the Commonwealth Games is known. We are especially pleased to be a part of this momentous journey across the Commonwealth as we prepare to participate in the Birmingham Games in July. It is anticipated that close to 100 athletes and officials from Barbados will travel in Birmingham”.
The Baton departed for Montserrat this morning to continue the tradition of touring the Commonwealth in the build up to Birmingham 2022.
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 Batonbearer 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