COMMONWEALTH GAMES
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay has completed its visit to Fiji, the 34th destination out of the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories it will be visiting.
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay has completed its visit to Fiji, the 34th destination out of the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories it will be visiting.
During its time in Fiji, the Queen’s Baton Relay took part in numerous activities and festivities, organised by the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC), which is the Fiji Commonwealth Games Association and included a special welcome by His Excellency the President of Fiji, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, who is also the Patron of FASANOC. HE the President, received the Baton at State House from two time Rugby Sevens Olympians Jerry Tuwai and Rusila Nagasauwho had the honour of being the first two Batonbearers in Fiji.
The Queen’s Baton later made its way to the British High Commissioner's residence where Deputy British High Commissioner Paul Welsh, staff of the High Commission and guests including dignitaries were present to welcome Batonbearer and Para Athlete Leslie Tikotikoca who handed over the Queen’s Baton.
The Queen’s Baton Relay started the two day’s of activation in Fiji onboard a hybrid double hull sailing Drua canoe at the Sailing Centre in Suva. The Baton then commenced the Relay and was taken by athletes who are training squad members of sports on the Commonwealth Games programand visited Fiji Sports Council training venues of Damodar Aquatic Centre (swimming) Voadafone Arena (table tennis), ANZ Stadium (athletics)and National Fitness Centre (weightlifting) at Laucala Bay.
The Queen’s Baton was run along the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Drive waterfront, with a brief stopover where mangroves have been planted on the seashore. It was then taken by a Boxing athlete to the National War Memorial in Veiuto where FASANOC President Makarita Lenoa placed a wreath to honour fallen members of Fiji's disciplined forces. The RFMF organized a Catafalque event whereby soldiers Presented Arms and a bugler played the Last Post.
The Baton continued its journey with Para Table Tennis athlete, Iakoba took the Baton by wheelchair along the waterfront and then handed it over to Lawn Bowls athlete, Elizabeth Moceiwai, who took it for a brief stop-over to visit bowlers at the Suva Bowling Club. It then crossed the road to Albert Park with former Judokas Nacanieli Takayawa and Sisilia Naisiga, Gold and Bronze 2002 Commonwealth Games medalists where it was received by FASANOC Life Member, Vidhya Lakhan. National Federation officials, athletes and family members, FASANOC Executive Board and staff welcomed the Baton against the backdrop of the Government Buildings and the iconic Grand Pacific Hotel.
The Queen’s Baton later left Suva accompanied by FASANOC President and CEO, Team Fiji Chef de Mission to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and staff to visit a Nature-Based Solutions Seawall (NBS) for the Namatakula Village that is partially funded by the British High Commission who was represented at the Village by the deputy British High Commissioner Paul Welsh.
The Queen’s Baton continued on to the Outrigger Hotel where a coral planting activity was organise dearly the next day, Monday, as part of Outrigger Hotel's OZONE global conservation initiative.
The Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park was the next stop to welcome the Queen’s Baton Relay where a tree planting program was held before heading to the Baton’s last stop in Lautoka at "Koroipita". Koroipita is a community highlighted as a Model Town for other countries at COP23 where all citizens practice and observe sustainable habits including good practices at waste management and good involvement of Community. The Baton was taken around the Community visiting areas of interest that included sporting grounds, they have their own Rugby Sevens Team, Multi-purpose courts, housing areas ending up at the Community Hall. The Commissioner Western, Mesake Ledua and Koroipita Founder Peter Drysdale were two of the 5 community batonbearers.
Koroipita proudly ticks off 16 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Queen’s Baton returned to Nadi Airport where it was packed up and sealed and handed over to Post Fiji, the official postal delivery service in Fiji for the Baton to make its way to its 35th destination in Samoa.
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 7 October 2021, when Her Majesty The Queen placed her Message to the Commonwealth into the Baton.
FASANOC Chief Executive Lorraine Mar said “I am filled with pride that Fiji had the opportunity to host the Queen’s Baton Relay and be part of this momentous journey. Not only did it give us the opportunity to celebrate the spirit of Fiji but it represents the coming together of communities across the whole of the Commonwealth.”
2022 Team Fiji Chef de Mission to the Commonwealth Games Sale Sorovaki said “We have relished in the opportunity to commemorate our community’s part in the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay. Everyone here has had a great time taking part in all the activities and supporting our local athletes, as they represent Fiji as Batonbearers.”
Athletes that were honoured to carry the Queens Baton included Ana Kaloucava, Albert Miller Jnr (Athletics), Jone Davule (Boxing) Sally Yee, Vicky Wu, Kope Taberanibou (Table Tennis), Cheyenne Rova Taichi Vakasama(Swimming), Elizabeth Moceiwai (Lawn Bowls), Nacanieli Takayawa, Sisilia Nasiga (Judo), Helen Seipua, Taniela Rainibogi (Weighlifting), Saddie Pattie (Triathlon).
The Queen’s Baton will now travel to Samoa to continue in its 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
PICS: Shivneel Narayan
