Kareem to run in Queen’s Baton Relay

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Kareem to run in Queen’s Baton Relay

Kareem Streete-Thompson celebrates after his
bronze medal in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in
Manchester. AFP PHOTO Adrian DENNIS

Friday, August 5, 2005

The only Commonwealth Games medallist in the history of the Cayman Islands, Kareem Streete-Thompson, will run in the Queen’s Baton Relay this Saturday. He won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester two years ago.

Streete-Thompson’s run will signal the end of the relay and the beginning of the ceremony at Hero’s Square.

Participants will only run approximately 100 metres before handing the baton over to the next participant. The baton will travel through each district and will be transported by car, motorcycle, truck, horse buggy, horse and boat.

It is clear that with so many different types of transportation being used, the Queen’s Baton Relay will be unlike the standard all-island relays, said Carson Ebanks, Secretary General of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee.

“We are going to incorporate little pieces of Caymanian culture along the route. Each district committee is planning something to showcase their community,” he said.

H.E the Governor, Bruce Dinwiddy, will start the run in front of his residence on West Bay Road. From there the baton will travel through West Bay, and on to Morgan’s Harbour, from there it will take a short boat trip to Kaibo and then the relay will progress through North Side, where quadrille dancers are going to take up the baton, and the North Side Kitchen Band will play as the baton goes through the district.

Then it is on to East End, where a short stop is planned at the lookout point over the Wreck of the Ten Sails. It will then proceed through Bodden Town to the ceremony at Hero’s Square in George Town.

“We would like to have as many people as possible along the route cheering the baton and participants on,” Mr Ebanks said.

The Queen’s Baton Relay is the curtain raiser for the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for March 2006 in Sydney, Australia.

This relay will be the longest Games relay in history because it will travel to all 71 Commonwealth countries. This baton is also unique in that it has a GPS system, to allow organizers to track it throughout its journey, and a camera, as well as an escort and policeman.

The baton will also make its way to Cayman Brac, where a celebration will take place on Sunday.

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