Commonwealth baton relay to visit Glasgow in August
Gold Coast mascot 'Borobi' visited Caledonia Primary School as the Queen's Baton Relay dates were announced
Glasgow's involvement in the Queen's Baton Relay for the Gold Coast games next year was announced at an event at Caledonia Primary School in Baillieston.
Today will see the launch of the Queen's Baton Relay from Buckingham Palace ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games that take place in Gold Coast, Australia.
Jon Doig, who was the Chief Executive of Commonwealth Games Scotland and Team Scotland's Chef de Mission, announced that the baton would be travelling through Scotland between 22th-28th August this year.
He was joined by Commonwealth silver medalist Eilidh Doyle, with there being appearances by Australia's Gold Coast 2018 mascot 'Borobi' and Glasgow's mascot 'Clyde' as they entertained pupils.
Doyle joined pupils in an 'Aussie-style' dance off before taking part in a Q&A session.
She said, "I was the first one to get the baton in to Scotland in 2014 when it crossed the border from England to Scotland and I remember thinking for me okay it's in Scotland now that's the real kick start of it.
"Once you start following the baton and you start seeing it then you start thinking it's just round the corner and we've got that to look forward to.
"I think this just kick start it all and gets it in to the public eye again".
The baton will travel 230,000 kilometres over 388 days as it makes it's way through the six Commonwealth regions of Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Oceania, to its final destination, the Opening Ceremony of the Gold Coast 2018 games on 4th April 2018.
Details of the Scottish events will be announced over the coming weeks, with a strong youth and sport scheme to be expected.
John Doig said, "The baton will leave Buckingham Palace and will then tour around the Commonwealth and will be back here in Scotland to see us in August.
"It will be here between the 22nd and 28th of August and on the ground for five days.
"It's obviously quite a compressed programme compared to the 42 days we had touring around Scotland in 2014 but we're looking to get a very good programme set up".