Hundreds of sporty youngsters will have the chance to get their hands on the Queen’s Baton at a special Commonwealth Games event in the city next week.
Aberdeen Sports Village is hosting the School’s Back Sports Day next Thursday, which will involve schoolchildren flock to the venue for a day of Commonwealth-themed activities.
The event marks the passing of the baton from Scotland, which hosted the Games in 2014, to Australia, where the next Games will be hosted in 2018 at the Gold Coast.
Children will have the opportunity to carry the torch as it is led around the Sports Village grounds, and they will also get to enjoy an Australian high tea.
The main torch bearers will be Oldmeldrum wrestler Viorel Etko, who scooped a bronze medal for Scotland at Glasgow 2014, and shooter Neil Stirton. Mr Stirton won gold in the 50m rifle prone pairs and bronze in the 50m rifle three position pairs at the Delhi Games in 2010. He also won silver in the 50m rifle prone pairs at the Games in Melbourne four years earlier.
Duncan Sinclair, chief executive of Aberdeen Sports Village, said: “Everyone is looking forward to welcoming The Queen’s Baton Relay to Aberdeen. We are dedicated to offering sporting opportunities for everyone, helping people achieve their very best, so we are delighted to be a part of this exciting event warm up to the Commonwealth Games.
“We will be getting into the spirit of the Games with a wide variety of sporting activities for young pupils from schools across the city, culminating in an exciting Australian-themed high tea.”
The torch’s visit to Aberdeen comes on the east leg of its five-day tour of the country. In the morning it will be taken to Clepington Primary School in Dundee for a Sports Day and to the Bon Scott statue in Kirriemuir, Angus to celebrate the famous Australian/Scot lead singer of AC/DC, with a piper playing some of their most popular hits.
After Aberdeen, the torch will go to Stirling Castle, where the achievements of Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas will be celebrated. The team came home with 21 medals including eight golds.
