Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, receives the Queen’s Baton from the last runner of the Queen’s Baton Relay Brunei Darussalam
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports with members of the Diplomatic Corps and representatives of the XXI Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast 2018 in a group photo. – PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR
The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports handing over the Queen’s Baton to Lim Hong Huai, High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam
Cyclists with the Queen’s Baton on the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge
The Queen’s Baton arriving at the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Training Centre
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, the President of Brunei Darussalam National Canoe Association receiving the Queen’s Baton in his canoe
THE atmosphere was convivial and the weather perfect as more than 100 participants including local athletes, foreign diplomats as well as members of local sporting associations gathered for the Queen’s Baton Relay ahead of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 yesterday morning.
Apart from the major landmarks in the country, the relay also covered the recently launched Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge and Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas.
The Queen’s Baton Relay, a tradition of the Commonwealth Games, reached Brunei Darussalam as the 55th country on a tour that is covering a total of 230,000km across 70 nations and territories in 388 days, to reach its final destination of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, where the 2018 Commonwealth Games will take place.
In the longest relay in the history of Commonwealth Games, which started from the Buckingham Palace on March 13, the baton carries a message from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as a call to athletes in Commonwealth nations and territories to unite in friendly competition.
The message will be read out at the Games’ opening ceremony on April 4, 2018.
Leading the 12-km relay was the guest of honour, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, who received the baton at Mercu Dirgahayu 60 Monument from Kerry Thompson, the Team Liaison of the Queen’s Baton Relay.
Joined by Haji Muhd Zamri bin Dato Paduka Haji Hamdani, Vice-President of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BDNOC); Nicola Rosenblum, the Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam; and a number of foreign diplomats, the minister made his way to Tugu Jam Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Sultan to hand over the baton to Brunei’s wushu athletes.
The group of athletes then made their way to Pusar Ulak Primary School where children were able to catch a glimpse of the baton which was then handed over to the sepak takraw team.
Waiting at Jalan Tasek was the netball team which received the baton and ran to the Youth Centre where the baton was passed on to para athletes and persons with special needs who made their way to the Sungai Kianggeh Bridge.
After receiving the baton, cyclists from the Brunei Darussalam Cycling Federation crossed the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha Bridge and passed it on to villagers of Kampong Sungai Kebun and Kampong Lorong Sikuna who participated in the event.
At the Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery Jetty, Christoper Kaesbary received the baton to carry it on a jetski along the Brunei River, followed by Ismail bin Haji Kabon on a powerboat.
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, the President of Brunei Darussalam National Canoe Association then received the baton to paddle it to the Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas jetty where members of the taekwondo team received the baton and made their way to the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque.
The baton was then passed over to local footballers who ran up to Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex to hand it over to the silat team.
Receiving the baton next at the Sungai Kianggeh Bridge was the lawn bowling team who headed to the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Training Centre, the final destination of the Queen’s Baton Relay in Brunei.
The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports then handed over the baton to Lim Hong Huai, High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to Brunei Darussalam. The next leg of the relay will take place in the city state.
In an interview after the relay, the minister said, “It’s a very meaningful occasion for Brunei’s sports to be part of the Queen’s Baton Relay for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. The event was made even more special as this month Brunei Darussalam is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne.”
On Brunei’s participation in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, the minister said, “Insya Allah, Brunei Darussalam will send its athletes to the games in Gold Coast next year.”
Commenting on the event, Kerry Thompson said, “It was an honour to be able to bring the baton to Brunei during the month-long Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne and to have baton bearers traversing through so many wonderful parts of the city including the newly launched bridge and the eco-corridor.”
She thanked the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports for promoting the Commonwealth Games and the Australian High Commissioner for supporting the event.
Kerry Thompson expressed gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, President of BDNOC, for welcoming the arrival of the Queen’s Baton as the first official baton bearer.
Meanwhile, Haji Muhd Zamri thanked the participants, volunteers and sporting associations involved in the relay. He specially commended the Pusar Ulak Primary School for allowing its students to participate in the event.
The Queen’s Baton arrived in Brunei on October 21, after visiting Malaysia.
The Queen’s Baton will depart for Singapore today for the next leg of its journey.
