Baton taken up Sydney Harbour Bridge

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The spirit of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games on Wednesday found itself on top of a distinctly Sydney icon.

The Queen’s Baton, the Commonwealth Games’ version of the Olympic Torch, on Wednesday accompanied Commonwealth and Olympic gold medallist Duncan Armstrong to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Games organisers will be hoping some of that Games spirit rubs off on the city and that the public get behind the Queen’s Baton Relay by nominating runners from within their local communities.

Armstrong admitted that outside of Victoria, Australians had been slow in getting behind the 2006 Games but was confident the momentum would build closer to the event.

“The rest of the country will embrace it, there is still 270 days until the first gun is fired in anger with the first race, I think everyone will get involved,” Armstrong said.

“Everyone’s got so many echoes of Sydney 2000. We’re five years down the track but everyone still gets misty eyes in a second about the games in 2000.
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“As the Baton gets close everyone will get excited, its Australia’s Commonwealth Games and the next big outing for Australian sport.

“Sure we might be a bit slow starting but I don’t think anyone should freak out about that.”

The Queen’s Baton Relay began in Buckingham Palace in London on March 14 and will travel more than 180,000 kilometres carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s message to the athletes to be read at the Opening Ceremony.

All up it will visit 71 countries before arriving in Australia on January 24, 2006.

A total of 3,500 Australians will run with the baton on a 50-day nation wide tour.

Of that, 1,925 runners will be nominated by the public as outstanding locals that have made a difference to their community.

Armstrong, as one of three Queen’s Baton ambassadors along with swimmer Grant Hackett and paralympian Louise Sauvage, said it was a great way to reward unsung heroes.

“Anyone can nominate anyone, even yourself,” Armstrong said.

“We want the whole Queen’s Baton Relay to reflect the community of Australia. We are mad-sports loving people but we also have a wonderful sense of nature within the community.

“The Relay is an epic journey which will bind local communities together and leave an everlasting legacy of unity, inspiration and goodwill.”

Nominations for the Queen’s Baton relay close on September 9.