2014 baton relay route is unveiled

Mar 11 2013

The international route for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay has been unveiled.

The baton will travel to all 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth during its 248-day journey, including India, Singapore, St Lucia and Canada, organisers said.

It will set off from Buckingham Palace on October 9, where the Queen will place a message to the athletes inside.

From there, it will travel to Glasgow, 2014's host city, before embarking on a voyage around the world.

The first stop will be Delhi, which hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and it will continue on through Asia, Oceania, Africa, North and South America, the Caribbean and Europe.

The baton will eventually return to Scotland, making its way back to Glasgow for the opening ceremony of the Games on July 23, 2014.

It is expected to cover about 118,000 miles (190,000km) and will make history by becoming the first baton to visit Rwanda.

The relay, a Commonwealth Games tradition, is designed to unite the two billion citizens of the Commonwealth in a celebration of sport, diversity and peace.

Organisers said the relay offers Glasgow and Scotland a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to "shine" on the global stage.

The International Sector Route announcement was made on Monday morning, on Commonwealth Day.