#Sports

Queen’s Baton due in Gambia today 

Oct 18, 2021, 1:02 PM | Article By: Yusuph Ismail

Abdoulie Jallow, secretary general of The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) and baton manager for The Gambia, has said that the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will arrive in The Gambia on 18 October 2021, spending three days exploring the culture and community.

Mr. Jallow, who was speaking at a press briefing on Thursday at GNOC office, added that the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games recently unveiled details of the international route and the design of the Queen’s Baton for the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay. 

The Queen’s Baton Relay is a tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities from across the Commonwealth during the build up to the Commonwealth Games.

The Relay began on 7 October 2021 at Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II placed her message to the Commonwealth into the Baton. It takes on an incredible 294-day journey through all nations and territories of the Commonwealth, arriving back in England in July 2022.

The Baton will travel an epic international route, spanning an impressive 269 days, spending between two and four days in each nation or territory, covering approximately 90,000 miles (140,000 kilometres), having over 7,500 Baton bearers trusted with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to carry the Baton.

The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will visit all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth yet will travel almost half the distance than the previous Gold Coast Queen’s Baton Relay in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint.

Jallow said before the Barton arrives in The Gambia, it will visit Nigeria and after departing The Gambia, it will make its way to Sierra Leone.

He added that the Barton after arriving in The Gambia usually spends the night at the head of states residence following a ceremony at the airport.

The Barton will then be taken to State House to spend the night and in the morning of 20 October, the Barton Relay will start from the State House with the president participating in the relay, he explained.

The Barton, he went on, will then be taken round Banjul, Kanifing Municipal Council, West Coast Region, the British High Commission and the Ministry of Youth and Sports before departing for Sierra Leone.

During each visit, nations and territories will host events and activities that showcase untold stories from Baton bearers, athletes, and young people who are striving for change in their community, as well as showcasing a project that addresses at least one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The global journey will conclude at the Birmingham Games 2022 Opening Ceremony where the final Baton bearer will return it to Her Majesty the Queen.