HRH Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah (R)
receives the Queen's Baton Relay
from Alka Lamba, the Convenor of
the Queen's Baton Relay
organizing committee of the 2010
Delhi Commonwealth Games as
R V Warjri (L), Highbr
Commissioner of Indialooks on.
Picture: BT/Jefrisalas

GET ready to lace up for the Brunei leg of the Queen's Baton 2010 Delhi Relay which starts today at the Yayasan Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah Complex.

Brunei is the 65th of 71 Commonwealth destinations, since its journey started from Buckingham Palace in London on Oct 29, last year.

Alka Lamba, the Convenor of the Queen's Baton Relay, organising committee of the Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, passed on the baton to His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, the president of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BNOC) at a reception held at the Rizqun International Hotel yesterday.

"The relay was good in Singapore and there was good response from the youth. Everybody was enthusiastic there and I'm expecting a great response from Brunei as I have heard a lot about the people here. We might even get the best relay amongst the Southeast Asian countries here," said Lamba.

The relay is a traditional curtain raiser since the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games in Wales and members of the public in the Sultanate are invited to join during any part of the relay.

HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah will launch the relay at the Yayasan Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the capital at 6.30am. Other checkpoints include the the official residence of the first British Resident in Brunei, Malcolm McArthur, the Bumbungan Dua Belas (House of Twelve Roofs) which boasts a view of Kg Ayer and the Brunei River.

Athletes taking part in the relay are 2009 Laos Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medallist Hj Md Khairul Bahrin Hj Duraman, swimmer Christian Nickles, who broke six national records in the 11-12 years old Age Group at the 8th Asean Inter-Club Swimming Championship in April and half-marathon man, Sefli Ahar.

Lawn bowler Abd Rahman Hj Omar, who won gold in the men's pairs and silver in the men's singles in the 2008 Asia Lawn Bowls Championships in China, will be the final baton bearer. He will pass on the baton to HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

Courtesy from Brunei Times