Baton returns as city relives 2014 Gamesmemories
RELAY SET FOR GLASGOW AS IT TRAVELS 200,000 MILES
IT was a summer of excitement when sport fever gripped the whole city. Glasgow 2014 – hailed as the best ever Commonwealth Games – saw the city light up with excitement as thousands of athletes came from around the world to compete at newly-built or freshly revamped sports facilities.
And one of the stand-out events was the Queen’s Baton relay, which took four days to weave its way around the city.
Glasgow is now set to have a second taste of the fun as the Gold Coast 2018 Queen’s Baton Relay comes to the city tomorrow.
Despite the fact it is nearly time for the next Commonwealth Games, memories of Glasgow 2014 are still strong in the minds of those who took part three years ago.
Dozens of batonbearers were chosen for the honour of carrying the Queen’s Baton, which carried a message from Her Majesty calling the Commonwealth’s athletes to come together in peaceful and friendly competition.
Rab Wardell was a particularly special baton bearer – for more than one reason.
He had the honour of being the first to carry the baton on the day of the Opening Ceremony and he also completed his stint on his mountain bike.
At around 7.30am Rab was given an official send off by then Lord Provost Sadie Docherty and Piper Lorne MacDougall on Cathkin Braes for the auspicious event.
From the Braes Rab took the baton on his bike across country to Castlemilk Community Centre.
The cyclist and coach said: “At the time I was chosen to take part I was planning to compete as a mountain biker in the Games but injury meant that wasn’t to be.
“I had competed in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and so it was really important to me to take part on home soil.
“It was a bit of a surprise to be chosen and I felt very proud as a mountain biker to take part and represent my sport.”
Rab said mountain biking is one of the less prominent sports in the Games and yet is really popular with amateur enthusiasts.
The cyclist, who has represented Scotland and Great Britain in Mountain Bike cross country, also turned out to see the Queen’s Baton as it travelled through the South Side of Glasgow, near his home in Queen’s Park.
Rab added: “2014 was bittersweet as I had hoped to be there to represent Scotland.
“The best memory for me was when my friend Lee Craigie came fifth in the women’s race.
“Glasgow really got behind the Games. It was 10 exciting days where the whole city seemed to be into it.”
For Julie McElroy, her Games journey began in 2012 when she took on the challenge of tackling events in all areas of parasports planned for the Commonwealth Games.
Julie, who has cerebral palsy and is profoundly deaf, was also an Olympic Torchbearer that year.
After being chosen as a batonbearer, she took part in the launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace, an experience she calls “surreal”.
The 31-year-old added: “To be one of the first ten Honourary Batonbearers of the Queen’s Baton at Buckingham Palace was a symbolic moment in my life.