King Charles is set to kick off the King’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace today, leading up to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. This marks the 18th official Commonwealth Games relay and signifies 500 days until the games commence in July next year. The King will pass the baton to champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who will be the first bearer on its global journey. This relay, starting in London as part of Commonwealth Day festivities, will be King Charles’ inaugural relay as head of the Commonwealth.
Following Sir Chris Hoy, the baton will be passed on to wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn, ocean plastics campaigner Keiran Healy, and Trinidad & Tobago judo athlete Gabriella Wood, who is a student at the University of Stirling. Trinidad & Tobago is slated to be the first stop for the relay. King Charles will place a sealed message inside the baton, to be unveiled during the opening ceremony, marking the commencement of the games. In the meantime, First Minister John Swinney will be in London to partake in the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
Swinney emphasized the significance of the games for Scotland on the global platform, citing the success of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. He highlighted the economic benefits that Glasgow 2026 would bring to the city, including upgrades to sports facilities that would benefit individuals, communities, and clubs. Scheduled for July 23 to August 2 next year, the event will feature a 10-sport program with athletes hailing from 74 nations and territories
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
