All hotting up for the Commonwealth Games
CONGRATULATIONS to the baton bearers chosen from the Southern Downs for the Queen's Baton Relay on March 29 in the run up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast.
It was great to see Rex Baguley selected after being a torch bearer in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Torch Relay in an era when it was a fair dinkum relay from Cairns to Melbourne. He was also a torch bearer in the Sydney Olympic Relay in 2000.
The torch was run day and night in 1956 but the reality is the increase in traffic has seen the end of most relays on major roads. I remember a young Laura Geitz carrying the torch before the 2000 Olympics when she was a promising swimmer and athlete before starring in netball. She will also carry the Queen's Baton in Warwick in March.
Cameroon visit
THE Commonwealth Games will start early from a Warwick perspective with the visit of 61 Cameroon team members to train in town.
They will train at WIRAC and Warwick Boxing Club gym and the athletics team will travel to and from Toowoomba for training at The Glennie School on the tartan track.
Their trip to training will be a lot less than some of the travel involved at the Games, with events all over the Gold Coast and some in Brisbane.
With the height of the Granite Belt above sea level, I believe this area is ideally suited for training for athletes in some of the endurance events, including the bike riding. Hopefully some more teams will come to this area to train.
We have done some stories on Commonwealth Games volunteers in the Daily News and I welcome any volunteers to call me on 46601313 or email gerardw @warwickdailynews.com.au about your involvement.
Rower honoured
WELL done to Warwick rower Harriet Hudson who is a finalist for the University of Sydney Academic Excellence Award at the prestigious 2017 NSW Institute of Sport Awards.
A silver medallist at the 2017 FISA World Rowing U23 Championships, she is a finalist not just for her success on the water but because she has excelled in her study for a Bachelor of Health Science at the University of Sydney.
