The Queen's baton for the Commonwealth Games arrived in the host country India yeterday after travelling across the road border from Pakistan, 100 days before the showpiece begins. The baton was handed over by the Pakistan Olympic Association president, Syed Arif Hassan, to his Indian counterpart and chief Games organiser, Suresh Kalmadi, at the Wagah border on the outskirts of Amritsar. Among those present at a colourful ceremony, marked by song and dance, was the Commonwealth Games Federation chief, Mike Fennell of Jamaica, and New Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
"This great occasion comes when exactly 100 days are left for the Games," Mr Kalmadi told a large audience. "We promise you the best ever Commonwealth Games." The baton will travel across India before reaching the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi during the Games opening ceremony on October 3. A message from Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, which is inside the baton, will be read at the opening ceremony to be attended by Prince Charles.
The baton relay began at Buckingham Palace in London on October 29 and has so far travelled 170,000 kilometres across all the 71 nations and territories of the former British empire. The 12-day sporting extravaganza will be India's biggest sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. * AFP
