The 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay batonbearers have been announced for the Ararat leg of the journey.
Ararat residents Karen Brennan and Chloe Dunmore will be joined by Stawell’s Keith Lofthouse and Joel Freeland and other batonbearers from as far away as Mount Gambier and Kalangadoo in South Australia.
The relay will visit Ararat on February 13 with 17 people selected to carry the Baton which contains a message from Queen Elizabeth II along the streets of the city.
Former Olympic cyclist Shane Kelly will also return to Ararat to carry the Baton, as it makes its way around Australia before finishing at Carrara Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 12-day sporting event on April 4.
Kelly competed at five Olympic Games and three Commonwealth Games, winning the Gold Medal in the 1000m time trial in 1994 and 1998.
Like the other participants, it is a great honour to be part of it.
- Karen Brennan
Each batonbearer was nominated and went through a judging process before the final names were announced on Wednesday.
Brennan who is an avid lawn bowls player has played on the green that will be used to host the bowls events during the Commonwealth Games and said she is excited to play a small part in the relay.
“Like the other participants, it is a great honour to be part of it,” she said.
Dunmore was nominated by the Rotary Club and is one of the youngest of the group to carry the Baton.
Horsham will also be representated during the relay with Justin Amor also selected as one of the 17 batonbearers in Ararat.
The Ararat Rural City Council is in the process of planning a community event to coincide with the relay.
The full list of people selected to carry the Baton can be found at https://www.gc2018.com/qbr/batonbearers.
The relay will also visit Werribee and Ballarat on February 13 before finishing the day in Ararat.
Further details will be announced in the coming months about activities planned for the evening in Ararat to coincide with the Baton’s visit.
