The 2009 Laos SEA Games gold
medallist Hj Md Khairul Bahrin
Hj Duraman is one of the baton
bearers tomorrow.
Picture: Infofoto

The Queen's Baton will arrive in the Sultanate from Singapore today, the 64th of 71 Commonwealth destinations, since its journey started from the Buckingham Palace in London on Oct 29, last year.

To mark its arrival, a reception will be held at the Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong at 3.30pm.

The Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BNOC) is taking the Queen's Baton 2010 Delhi Relay to be held tomorrow as an opportunity to showcase some of the Sultanate's historical landmarks.

His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah, the president of the BNOC, is expected to launch the relay at the Yayasan Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in the capital at 6.30am tomorrow.

The baton will then be taken on a traditional boat ride around Kg Ayer to the Sultanate's newest landmark, the $3 million Kg Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery.

Other checkpoints include the Bumbungan Dua Belas (House of Twelve Roofs), the official residence of the first British Resident in Brunei, Malcolm McArthur. Boasting a view of Kg Ayer and the Brunei River, it still maintains its grand architecture since its completion in 1907.

Turned into an exhibition centre in commemoration of the relationship between Brunei and the United Kingdom, it was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II when she was here in 1998.

Among the athletes tasked with carrying the baton throughout its journey are: 2009 Laos Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medallist Hj Md Khairul Bahrin Hj Duraman, top half-marathon runner Selfi Ahar and 12-year-old national 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.

National lawn bowls athlete Abd Rahman Hj Omar, who won gold in the men's pairs and silver in the men's singles in the 7th Asia Lawn Bowls Championships in China in 2008, has been given the honour of being the final baton bearer.

At the final pitstop of the relay, the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas, he will pass the baton to HRH Prince Hj Sufri.

The Prince will then pass the baton to a representative of Malaysia, the host country for the next Queen's Baton Relay.

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

For those who miss out, they still have the opportunity to get a closer look at the Baton on Thursday. The Queen's Baton Exhibition will be held at The Mall in Gadong from 10am to noon and from 2pm to 4pm.

On Friday, the Baton will be taken to Malaysia.

Courtesy from Brunei Times