0:00:06 > 0:00:12Nine months before the start of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16the Queen's Baton set off on an epic odyssey around the world.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Designed in Glasgow, the baton has travelled
0:00:24 > 0:00:28to 70 of the Commonwealth's nations and territories...
0:00:31 > 0:00:34..covering 118,000 miles...
0:00:35 > 0:00:37..taking 288 days...
0:00:40 > 0:00:42..across six continents
0:00:42 > 0:00:45to some of the world's largest countries...
0:00:45 > 0:00:48THEY CHEER
0:00:48 > 0:00:52..and the tiniest and most remote islands...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54I feel so very happy!
0:00:57 > 0:00:59..passing between many of the Commonwealth's
0:00:59 > 0:01:01nearly two billion people.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Adventurer Mark Beaumont has followed its progress
0:01:06 > 0:01:08round the world.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12These guys are absolutely flying. They've already done miles!
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Meeting athletes preparing for the Games...
0:01:15 > 0:01:17Not a chance!
0:01:17 > 0:01:20..and young sports stars of the future.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Ha-ha! He's laughing.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45The first destination is India...
0:01:47 > 0:01:50..where ancient ways of life sit alongside the modern.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58India is home to almost a fifth of the world's population
0:01:58 > 0:02:02and was the last nation to host the Commonwealth Games.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08And now, India welcomes the baton.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14It's obviously a huge source of excitement.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Hundreds and hundreds of people have already got a chance to touch it,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21to get photographed with it, even to see it.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23I mean, that's electric, it's just so exciting.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26But I think that that pace is also just
0:02:26 > 0:02:29a reflection of the pace of life here, of Delhi.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32It's just an amazingly busy, busy place.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37India excels at the sport of wrestling,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41winning 84 medals at previous Commonwealth Games.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51And in a backstreet of New Delhi lies the secret of their success.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Hello, Mark!
0:02:54 > 0:02:58- Good morning. Deepak, yes? - I am Deepak. Welcome to the akhara.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Young men have trained in ancient mud wrestling houses
0:03:06 > 0:03:09like this for 3,000 years.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Boys join as young as nine
0:03:13 > 0:03:18and give over their lives to rigorous practice,
0:03:18 > 0:03:22living a monastic life, guided by discipline and celibacy.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Everywhere in India you see children
0:03:27 > 0:03:29going to akharas, learning wrestling.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31What age do you start?
0:03:31 > 0:03:33They started at the age of... some nine, novices, yeah?
0:03:33 > 0:03:36- From the age of nine. - How old were you when you started?
0:03:36 > 0:03:40- Maybe 11.- 11?
0:03:40 > 0:03:44And he went on to become one of the best wrestlers in India.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46I can see why. Look at the size of him!
0:03:48 > 0:03:49Because the lifestyle,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51because the sport is everything these young men do,
0:03:51 > 0:03:56do they have to leave the sport behind before they have family life?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59When you are married, your power fails.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01So, you have to stop doing practice.
0:04:01 > 0:04:07So, generally, children who marry are considered not likely to go
0:04:07 > 0:04:10into professional mud wrestling.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Not one to shirk from a challenge...
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Mark, don't lose the fight!
0:04:15 > 0:04:18..Mark takes on champion wrestler Naveen Mor.
0:04:18 > 0:04:19Pull the leg! Pull the leg!
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Yes, yes, good!
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Don't fall down, no!
0:04:24 > 0:04:27My mouth is full of dirt.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30And, er, I've not even had breakfast yet!
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Quite a tough way to start the day.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37You know, Naveen is one of the best wrestlers of India.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42- He can go on fighting some two or three hours like this.- Me too!
0:04:43 > 0:04:48The baton leaves India to continue on its huge voyage.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26How many countries?
0:05:26 > 0:05:3070 nations and territories. 70.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34- Here is number four.- Number four? - Yeah.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38DRUMMING
0:06:00 > 0:06:02The Games are providing inspiration
0:06:02 > 0:06:06for the young swimmers of the Maldives.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10Where do you train?
0:06:10 > 0:06:12In the sea.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15What do you do if you see a big fish underneath you?
0:06:15 > 0:06:20I go faster and I try to finish!
0:06:38 > 0:06:42In this part of the world, talented athletes can challenge tradition.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- ALL:- Hello, Glasgow!
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Brunei is one of the richest nations in the world...
0:06:54 > 0:06:59..and home to a pioneering female competitor.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Who is your best athlete here?
0:07:01 > 0:07:02- BOTH:- Maziah.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Yeah, Maziah.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Maziah Mahusin is already a household name here in Brunei.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13At 20 years old, she is their first female Olympian.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Maziah's achievements are remarkable,
0:07:18 > 0:07:19because she is the only
0:07:19 > 0:07:22international female athlete in Brunei.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28It's been a lonely journey for me for the past five years.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32At first, I have this female sparring partner to work with,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34but some of them, like, gain employment,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38so I just keep on training with the guys, and I'm conscious, like,
0:07:38 > 0:07:44you have to follow the guys behind, so it's really challenging for me.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47How do you stay motivated when you're training with guys,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49who you feel you are always chasing?
0:07:49 > 0:07:53I like to challenge myself more,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56because I was the fastest in Brunei, so
0:07:56 > 0:08:01when I go to overseas competitions, I was like, oh, I was the slowest!
0:08:01 > 0:08:06So, I think I want to be the fastest also among other countries.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Mark bravely decides to take on the number one woman in Brunei.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Did I win? No?
0:08:27 > 0:08:29- No.- She's fast!
0:08:38 > 0:08:40The baton stops by the Gold Coast,
0:08:40 > 0:08:44the host of the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50How are you feeling?
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Um, a little nervous, actually!
0:08:59 > 0:09:02The stunning islands of the South Pacific are scattered
0:09:02 > 0:09:05across the world's largest ocean.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13These nations are home to some of the most remote
0:09:13 > 0:09:16communities on the planet.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31First stop, Papua New Guinea.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37Hip, hip!
0:09:37 > 0:09:38- ALL:- Hooray!
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Hip, hip!
0:09:40 > 0:09:41- ALL:- Hooray!
0:09:41 > 0:09:43HE SHOUTS IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:09:43 > 0:09:46We're not allowed past until the village... HE SHOUTS
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Until the village chief has seen the baton, accepted it,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and we are allowed to carry on through.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55It's a wonderful welcome,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59but it can also be quite an intimidating welcome!
0:09:59 > 0:10:03THEY SHOUT AND WHOOP
0:10:15 > 0:10:18This is the first time for the Queen's Baton, yes?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21- I feel so very happy!- Wonderful. - Wonderful.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30The locals have a special way of honouring the arrival of the baton.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36THEY SING AND SHOUT
0:10:40 > 0:10:45To the people of the village, eels are more than just fish.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50The eels are basically, growing up here, it is
0:10:50 > 0:10:54part of the spirit of the people living there.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04We've seen incredible celebrations, and on some of the costumes,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06I've seen bird beaks, what does this mean?
0:11:06 > 0:11:10The songs represent our story, or our legend,
0:11:10 > 0:11:15or something like that, so when people sing or dance using
0:11:15 > 0:11:19those bird beaks or animal parts, it represents our legend to us.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Is there still a strong connection between the wildlife and the people?
0:11:23 > 0:11:28Exactly. Because the animal element is basically our life.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The Commonwealth Games allow small nations
0:11:33 > 0:11:37and territories to compete as themselves, not as part
0:11:37 > 0:11:39of a larger nation.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41So for many islands in the South Pacific,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44it's a chance to make a name for themselves
0:11:44 > 0:11:46on the international stage.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57The very smallest country in the Commonwealth is Nauru.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01It only has 9,500 citizens,
0:12:01 > 0:12:06but Nauru has won 28 Commonwealth Games medals.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Woo-hoo!
0:12:09 > 0:12:10What sports is Nauru good at?
0:12:10 > 0:12:14- Um, weightlifting. Weightlifting and...- Weightlifting.
0:12:14 > 0:12:15And power-lifting.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20Deamo Bagugu is an air steward by day,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23but he's also a power-lifting champion.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28It's the most rustic gym I've ever been in. It's like a Rocky gym!
0:12:28 > 0:12:31All the gyms in Nauru are like this.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35But this is a bit cleaner one, because it's a fire station.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Deamo is determined to succeed on the world stage,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43but for the moment, he continues to break local records.
0:12:45 > 0:12:51I want the big world to know that we're not just a tiny dot island.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53We will be recognised in lifting heavy weights,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55like weightlifting and power-lifting.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Deamo regularly lifts up to 300 kilos.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05All right, without killing myself, what's a good challenge on the squat?
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Maybe 90, 100 kilos?
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Let's go for 90. HE LAUGHS
0:13:11 > 0:13:1490 kilos. That's what I weigh.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17So, if I can do this, that's my own body weight.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21- This is under half what you lift, isn't it?- Yup.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24He's not going to be impressed.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Control all the way down,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30and explosive power with your breath out.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Wish me luck!
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Go on, Mark!
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Good, good, big Mark!
0:13:43 > 0:13:44Push!
0:13:48 > 0:13:50SMATTERING OF APPLAUSE
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Yeah!
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Many of the islands here are very small.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08So small, in fact, that in Tuvalu,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10the runway doubles up as a sports field.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Thank you! I hope all these kids will become
0:14:21 > 0:14:24players for the future of Tuvalu.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25Thank you.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29But these nations produce athletes with giant ambition.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Samoa is home to a world-class rugby sevens team...
0:14:37 > 0:14:40..even though it's drawn from a population of under 200,000.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45The team's up there with the best,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47but is yet to win a Commonwealth medal.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53I believe we have not been fortunate enough
0:14:53 > 0:14:57to achieve any medals in the past, so that is our ultimate goal,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00to make sure we get to that level and not miss out again
0:15:00 > 0:15:03and wait for another, say, four years, I think.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05There seems to be a real bond between the players.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09Does that go back to the family and the culture here in Samoa?
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Oh, definitely.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13That brotherhood and togetherness we have,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16it's drilled and it's our upbringing from our family,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19so it's not something new that you come into rugby and you do it -
0:15:19 > 0:15:22when you come from your families, you already know.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30This sense of brotherhood is central to Samoan culture.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34So, do you go through this process every Sunday?
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Yeah, we have to do this every Sunday.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39And who is it in the family who does this?
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Mainly me and my brother that do this every Sunday.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- Is it the boys' job to prepare the food?- It is always the boys' job.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54The link between one player to the other, it's very,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56very closer than you think.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58They are not going in there as players,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02they are going in there as warriors, as a war team.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05THEY CHANT A HAKA
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- ALL:- Hello, Glasgow!
0:16:38 > 0:16:39Hello!
0:16:45 > 0:16:48FAST DRUMMING
0:16:52 > 0:16:54After passing through the Cook Islands,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58the baton arrives in the Kingdom of Tonga...
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- ALL:- Hello!
0:17:08 > 0:17:12..a nation known as the Friendly Islands...
0:17:12 > 0:17:14THEY WHOOP AND CHEER
0:17:14 > 0:17:17One heart, one love, everywhere!
0:17:18 > 0:17:22..until it comes to the national sport - boxing.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31In the last Commonwealth Games, Tonga won two bronze medals.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41An incredible achievement for a nation with just one boxing ring.
0:17:43 > 0:17:48Their next big hope is 22-year-old Osika Finau.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Where do you normally train, what's the facilities?
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Here, you are looking at the facilities and where we train.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58So, we just have a punching bag,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01then our skipping ropes, gloves...
0:18:01 > 0:18:04And for weights, we use push-ups.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10The facilities are basic, but this place gives the young men
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and boys of Tonga the chance to escape from street violence.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Is there a lot of fighting?
0:18:16 > 0:18:20And is boxing a good way to teach people not to fight,
0:18:20 > 0:18:21because you are disciplined?
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Boys from other school and boys from other school,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27they meet up, they fight in the street, it's like a big thing here.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31And I was in a school that used to fight like that, but now,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35I mean, I've been trained to box and stuff,
0:18:35 > 0:18:39I see that it's really childish and it's...
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Boxing helps you to discipline yourself.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46But there's more to Tonga's boxing success than just discipline.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- No kicking! - HE LAUGHS
0:18:54 > 0:18:57I think that personality of a Tongan
0:18:57 > 0:19:00contributes to their interest in boxing.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03HE LAUGHS He's laughing!
0:19:03 > 0:19:04It's the heart.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11I think that's the key that make a Tongan unique.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17This is how to be a man.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26It doesn't matter what you have.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31What matters to me is what I know I can do.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38We all have two arms, two legs, one heart. I have the same.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47In the tiny nation of Niue, it's sports day,
0:19:47 > 0:19:49and a chance to celebrate local culture.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58We use what we have, which is our culture,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and we have to keep our culture, every sports day we have,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04we have to have some cultural sports,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07so it's always balanced with the other sports as well.
0:20:14 > 0:20:15Woo-hoo!
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Disaster!
0:20:26 > 0:20:28But on another island,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32the most popular sport has been imported from elsewhere.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Norfolk Island lies close to Australia and New Zealand,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41making this a popular destination for expats.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48And its residents have a particular fondness for one sport.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59Despite the island's size, the lawn bowls team
0:20:59 > 0:21:03is a surprisingly strong contender for a medal in Glasgow this year.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10But for the players, it's not all about winning.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13From what I've seen, it always looks like a very sociable sport.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16It's very social, and if we weren't on camera,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18we'd have a beer on the bench behind us.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20We could do that!
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Grab a bowl, any bowl, and see how you go.
0:21:24 > 0:21:29- And you don't need any sort of a run-up?- No, you don't need a run-up.
0:21:31 > 0:21:32MARK WHISTLES
0:21:32 > 0:21:35And that was good, really good weight, as we call it.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Because you finished level with the jack.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39- Do you think I'm ready for a bit of competition?- Why not?
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Yeah, we'll get the boys in and we'll have a game. OK, boys?
0:21:48 > 0:21:49Oh, didn't curl in!
0:21:49 > 0:21:53He's looking good, this guy. He's doing well.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Oh, he held on to it, and it bump, bump, bumped!
0:22:01 > 0:22:04My golly! He needs a little bit more green, that's all.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12The baton leaves the South Pacific Islands
0:22:12 > 0:22:14and heads for a whole new continent.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Epic landscapes and nature at its most magnificent.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42It's also home to more than a billion people...
0:22:45 > 0:22:48..and some of the finest athletes in the world.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57UPBEAT BRASSY MUSIC
0:22:57 > 0:23:00What are you looking forward to at the Commonwealth Games?
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Well, much gold for Nigeria!
0:23:16 > 0:23:20For some African nations, poverty and disease have led to disability.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31In Cameroon, Etienne Songa runs the National Paralympic Committee.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34In Cameroon,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38the people with disability account for about a little bit more than
0:23:38 > 0:23:4220 percent of the population, which means more than two million people.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47And most of these guys, about 60 to 70 percent, are youngsters,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49I mean below 25.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52So, it means that if you get all these guys, I mean, most of them,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55involved in sport, you can imagine the pool.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00So, we have to have them involved into the para sports,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03this for me is the biggest challenge.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Young athlete Patrick Bakounga is partially sighted.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15So, what do you get out of sport?
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Pour moi, le sport...
0:24:18 > 0:24:21- TRANSLATOR:- The sport makes me forget that I'm impaired.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25HE SPEAKS FRENCH
0:24:25 > 0:24:27In my neighbourhood, they respect who I am,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29because I practise the sport.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31What's your record for the 100m?
0:24:31 > 0:24:33HE TRANSLATES
0:24:33 > 0:24:35PATRICK SPEAKS FRENCH
0:24:35 > 0:24:39- 11.3.- That's impressive! Incredible.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Patrick started running ten years ago and works with a guide.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56To guide - I'm guiding with my arm, or by verbal?
0:24:56 > 0:24:58By verbal and by hands.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00You can speak to him, you can
0:25:00 > 0:25:03speak to him that you enter the curve, now we are going
0:25:03 > 0:25:09left on a straight line, let's go faster, let's go highness, OK?
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- You should just try to contact him with the speaking.- Perfect.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15Let's give it a go.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25Left, left!
0:25:28 > 0:25:30OK? Straight.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35That's good. Hey, well done.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37Well done.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42This guy is seriously fast!
0:25:42 > 0:25:46CHEERING, CHANTING AND SINGING
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Sport can provide life-changing opportunities
0:26:02 > 0:26:04for talented young women.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10In Uganda, the first ever women's Steeplechase Olympic gold
0:26:10 > 0:26:13was won by Dorcus Inzinkuru.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20What was it like, the reaction
0:26:20 > 0:26:22when you came back to Uganda with a gold medal?
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Well, it was great, you know, it was really amazing.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30The whole crowd, the whole city, I was welcomed as a hero, you know?
0:26:30 > 0:26:32So, it's very, very lovely.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34To me, it is a great achievement
0:26:34 > 0:26:38for my country and I would like to go back again for Glasgow.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45In Tanzania, hope is being offered to young women
0:26:45 > 0:26:47by a revolutionary cricket club.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55The club was set up over a decade ago to help
0:26:55 > 0:26:59women from disadvantaged backgrounds pursue a career in the sport.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06One of them is their star cricketer, Mwanaidi Ibrahim.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Mwanaidi, what has being involved in sports
0:27:12 > 0:27:15done in terms of your family life and your community?
0:27:15 > 0:27:19SHE SPEAKS IN HER OWN LANGUAGE
0:27:19 > 0:27:23- TRANSLATOR:- As far as her family life is concerned,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27she doesn't have a father, she lives with her mother and grandmother.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Both of them are unemployed.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31And through cricket, which has opened the door
0:27:31 > 0:27:36and get employment, basically, she is running the family.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41Can you explain to me what it is about the situation, the game,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43that makes you emotional?
0:27:43 > 0:27:49SHE SPEAKS IN HER OWN LANGUAGE
0:27:54 > 0:27:56She says without the game,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00she cannot imagine without the game, because without the game,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03she would most probably be somewhere in the streets, trying to
0:28:03 > 0:28:05earn a livelihood.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09Whatever recognition, whatever few happiness which she has got in
0:28:09 > 0:28:13this life, is to the game, and that basically is getting her through.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16SHE SPEAKS IN HER OWN LANGUAGE
0:28:16 > 0:28:18- TRANSLATOR:- Cricket has helped
0:28:18 > 0:28:20to travel around the world, and in that process,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24I have met different lots of people, and through that interaction, it has
0:28:24 > 0:28:29helped me to broaden my mind, and that has helped me in my day-to-day.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40This doesn't feel like the safest place to stand!
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Those balls are coming pretty fast.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45I've played cricket literally once or twice in my life,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47and that was maybe 15 years ago.
0:28:47 > 0:28:48I'm quite keen to have a go.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54I'm scared!
0:28:57 > 0:28:58Whoa!
0:29:02 > 0:29:03Whoa!
0:29:05 > 0:29:06Well done.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12The baton travels to the Seychelles
0:29:12 > 0:29:15and a dip in the warm Indian Ocean.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36For talented young people across the African nations,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39sport offers the chance to transform lives.
0:29:45 > 0:29:5019-year-old Nijel Amos came from humble beginnings,
0:29:50 > 0:29:54walking eight miles to school each day in rural Botswana.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59His talent for running was spotted by his geography teacher,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02who coached him from the school dirt track,
0:30:02 > 0:30:05all the way to the London 2012 Olympics.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15Nijel was 18 at the time, and ranked very much as an outsider.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21But then he came out of nowhere to seize the silver
0:30:21 > 0:30:24medal in the 800m.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55He'd become the fourth fastest man ever over the distance and
0:30:55 > 0:30:57a hero in his home country.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05It's a moment Nijel's marked for ever.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13Getting your fastest time tattooed on your arm - if you go faster in the future?
0:31:51 > 0:31:56Also famed for its world-class young athletes is South Africa.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06Covering half a million square miles,
0:32:06 > 0:32:10this vast country is a Commonwealth Games giant.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15At the last games, South African athletes won gold
0:32:15 > 0:32:18medals in athletics, lawn bowls and swimming.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24And in downtown Johannesburg,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27one young athlete dreams of adding her event to that list.
0:32:32 > 0:32:3518-year-old Kirsten Beckett has been training since she was five.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Now she is one of the best South African gymnasts of her generation,
0:32:43 > 0:32:47and an inspiration to the younger children she trains with.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49But it hasn't come easily.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53Well, I train six days a week
0:32:53 > 0:32:55about four hours a day
0:32:55 > 0:32:59and during those four hours, strength is definitely a huge part in it
0:32:59 > 0:33:02because without strength I don't think you'd be able to be a gymnast.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05So we spend a lot of time on strength work, flexibility,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08stamina as well is very important.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11There's a lot of girls here aged, you know, five, six, seven.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14When do you need to start taking it more seriously?
0:33:14 > 0:33:17You should start taking gymnastics more seriously
0:33:17 > 0:33:18when you're about the age of 11 or 12
0:33:18 > 0:33:21and you start to hit your peaking stage.
0:33:21 > 0:33:26That is so much younger than almost any other sport I can imagine.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27What was that like for you
0:33:27 > 0:33:30when you had to start dedicating more and more time to gymnastics?
0:33:30 > 0:33:33I think, for me, when I was younger, it was all fun,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35whether I took it seriously or not.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38I did it because I loved it and I wanted to come every day.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46I want to make a name for South African gymnastics,
0:33:46 > 0:33:47you know, that's one of my big goals.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Obviously this year I want to make the Commonwealth Games
0:33:50 > 0:33:51and hopefully medal,
0:33:51 > 0:33:54and I want to win the African champs.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04Many of the Commonwealth's nations and territories are small islands,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07keen to make their mark on the world.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16In the South Atlantic
0:34:16 > 0:34:20lies the tiny British territory of the Falkland Islands.
0:34:24 > 0:34:278,000 miles from Glasgow,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30and home to just 3,000 people.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35The islands are exposed and windswept...
0:34:36 > 0:34:39which is why the most popular sport here
0:34:39 > 0:34:42takes place...indoors.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55Doug Clark is the team captain
0:34:55 > 0:34:57at Stanley Badminton Club.
0:34:59 > 0:35:00Oh!
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Well, they call it the fastest racquet game in the world, and you can see why.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08- I didn't stand a chance. Bit of practice?- Yeah, you'll be fine.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Doug and his team are preparing to take part
0:35:12 > 0:35:15in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games...
0:35:15 > 0:35:18giving this small British territory
0:35:18 > 0:35:21a rare opportunity to compete on the world stage.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24What are the main challenges you face?
0:35:24 > 0:35:25Competition.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29You know, we get to go to the Island Games once every two years.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32We... We get to go to the Commonwealth once every four years,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35so we're trying to plug those gaps with more tournaments.
0:35:35 > 0:35:40And so, competition is a real, real factor
0:35:40 > 0:35:43which is detrimental to our badminton.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46To give his team a boost,
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Doug has called on a secret weapon.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Rebecca Pantaney won gold for England
0:35:52 > 0:35:55at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
0:35:55 > 0:35:58and she's been coaching the Falklands team
0:35:58 > 0:36:00for the past seven years.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03And who will you be cheering for at Glasgow?
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Falklands.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09No. I know a lot of people in the UK, I know a lot of the coaches.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11I'll still work with some of them,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14but I'll be there with the Falkland guys
0:36:14 > 0:36:16and I'll be proud to be there for them.
0:36:19 > 0:36:20They may be the underdogs,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23but the Falklands badminton team is relishing the chance
0:36:23 > 0:36:26to take on some of the world's top professionals.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29Makes me feel very proud
0:36:29 > 0:36:31when I wear the kit and represent my country.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38Because we are so small, we try and stand out the most,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40just to say, "We're here!"
0:36:40 > 0:36:42We're quite far away but we're still here.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57From the South Atlantic,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00the baton makes its way to the blue seas of the Caribbean.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08The most easterly of the Caribbean islands is Barbados.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22After Nigeria's rugby-sevens team dropped out of the Games,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Barbados was called up to take their place.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29So now they've got a real race to get ready in time,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32cos they're facing some of the toughest teams in the world.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40The team's come a long way
0:37:40 > 0:37:41since they were placed last
0:37:41 > 0:37:44at the Caribbean Championships a few years ago.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48And now they're preparing for the competition of their lives.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Not every nation has access to the most modern training facilities,
0:37:53 > 0:37:55so they've improvised,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58creating their own back-yard gym.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- Not a chance!- Every time. - You're fast!
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- And that's under the midday Caribbean sun. What a place to train!- Exactly.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Tyres, rope - simple, get your speed training in easily.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10And this is how you do your training off the pitch?
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Yeah, off the pitch we get together, we use everyday simple stuff
0:38:13 > 0:38:16- and we get the resistance we need. - Whoo! I like it.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24They may be Commonwealth Games newcomers,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27but for the players it's the opportunity of a lifetime.
0:38:32 > 0:38:33It's going to be amazing, you know?
0:38:33 > 0:38:36It's a big, big thing to see your idols,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39watching them from a youth coming up to a bit of manhood.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43To step on the field and actually have them teach you something,
0:38:43 > 0:38:46it's a big, big thing. We joke around,
0:38:46 > 0:38:49as a child you want to be like someone, look up to somebody,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51and now we have to come back and say I'm going to be myself
0:38:51 > 0:38:53and put my best foot forward
0:38:53 > 0:38:55to play against who I looked up to, you know?
0:39:00 > 0:39:01In nearby Grenada,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04another young athlete has set her sights on being the best.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Nye Cruickshank is 12 years old
0:39:10 > 0:39:13and has been swimming competitively since she was five.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18Three years ago she was diagnosed with bone cancer in her left femur
0:39:18 > 0:39:21and underwent an operation to remove part of her leg.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24But that hasn't stopped her
0:39:24 > 0:39:28dreaming about becoming Grenada's first-ever para-athlete.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30Is swimming different now,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32after the operation,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- than before the operation?- No.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37It's the same.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40I just have to work harder.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43The swimming is very important to her.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45She uses swimming also as therapy
0:39:45 > 0:39:47to help her to strengthen her leg.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51Swimming has been like a lifeline to her,
0:39:51 > 0:39:53especially after the surgery.
0:39:53 > 0:39:58Nye's experience has inspired her to pursue dreams beyond swimming.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01What's the reason you want to be a doctor?
0:40:01 > 0:40:02To help children.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06Is that because of how much you've been helped by doctors?
0:40:06 > 0:40:07Yes.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Nye's a rising star in Grenada,
0:40:13 > 0:40:17where a Paralympic Committee has only recently been formed.
0:40:17 > 0:40:18That means, in the future,
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Nye could have a chance at competing
0:40:21 > 0:40:23at the Paralymic and the Commonwealth Games.
0:40:27 > 0:40:28It will be good for,
0:40:28 > 0:40:31you know, Grenada, other people,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33other children who may have disabilities, you know?
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Once, you know, they can see
0:40:35 > 0:40:37there's nothing you cannot do.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39And I would like to see that,
0:40:39 > 0:40:41even if she has to be the lead person
0:40:41 > 0:40:44to open that door for others to follow.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51For some young people across the Caribbean nations,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54there's little access to higher education.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56But what many islanders are finding
0:40:56 > 0:41:00is that sport can provide a gateway to academic success.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19In St Lucia, an after-school programme
0:41:19 > 0:41:22is harnessing both the sporting and academic ambitions
0:41:22 > 0:41:24of young athletes.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28I really enjoy running
0:41:28 > 0:41:30and when I run I feel happy.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34The club is very fun.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36It gives you physical fitness.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42Rockets Athletic Club has been running for over a decade.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47In the past many athletes who were gifted,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49their academics suffered.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51And we are trying to change that dynamic,
0:41:51 > 0:41:54that they must balance academics and sporting life.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Getting a sport scholarship to a university abroad
0:42:00 > 0:42:02can be a life-changing opportunity.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09I hope to get a track scholarship
0:42:09 > 0:42:11for me to go to school to study architecture
0:42:11 > 0:42:13and start building houses,
0:42:13 > 0:42:15open my own business in my country
0:42:15 > 0:42:17and build a house for my mum.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21St Lucia is set to host
0:42:21 > 0:42:24the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2017
0:42:24 > 0:42:28and many of its young athletes are hoping to be future stars.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32Do you have any dreams for the future, for running?
0:42:32 > 0:42:34I want to go to the Olympics.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39To run against other people, and I hope I can come first.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42I want to become the world's fastest man.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44That's a good dream.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Montserrat was famed for its beauty
0:43:04 > 0:43:07and was once known as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16But this island is dominated by a volcano.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28Avalanches of gas and molten rock rolled down the slopes
0:43:28 > 0:43:30and the scientists here have told them
0:43:30 > 0:43:33it could be lethally dangerous for years to come.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40This used to be the main town of Plymouth,
0:43:40 > 0:43:42almost completely gone and deserted.
0:43:45 > 0:43:51You can see exactly where the volcano flows came through the town.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56Everyone had to move to the other end of the island.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03And that volcano is still active, I can smell sulphur.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06With the country devastated,
0:44:06 > 0:44:09more than half of the population left the island.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13The loss of people and land
0:44:13 > 0:44:15had a huge impact on everything,
0:44:15 > 0:44:16including sport.
0:44:22 > 0:44:23But 19 years later,
0:44:23 > 0:44:26young athletes are busy preparing for the Commonwealth Games.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31We train on
0:44:31 > 0:44:33a 300-metre track, a grass track...
0:44:33 > 0:44:35sometimes we train on the beach,
0:44:35 > 0:44:39because, like in Christmas, they have an annual festival
0:44:39 > 0:44:41and they take up the field
0:44:41 > 0:44:44because that's the biggest section on Montserrat.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50As the nation continues to rebuild itself,
0:44:50 > 0:44:51one of the biggest problems
0:44:51 > 0:44:54is keeping sporting talent here on the island.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00Lester, though, has opted to stay.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05What keeps you going, year after year?
0:45:05 > 0:45:09Basically it's just that I like competing
0:45:09 > 0:45:13and I like putting Montserrat on the map.
0:45:13 > 0:45:14And I would like to be
0:45:14 > 0:45:17out there like a Usain Bolt
0:45:17 > 0:45:19or one of them big athletes and making money
0:45:19 > 0:45:22so when I die my children are safe, you know?
0:45:43 > 0:45:45Across the Caribbean,
0:45:45 > 0:45:49many young people are opting to move abroad for more opportunities.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53In Anguilla, a tennis academy is
0:45:53 > 0:45:58helping its students aim for scholarships in the United States.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Tennis for me would be like a gateway to college,
0:46:02 > 0:46:05it's an opportunity to get a college scholarship
0:46:05 > 0:46:07and the harder I train, the better I become,
0:46:07 > 0:46:10the more likely I will be to get one.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14Most of the children would love to go to school,
0:46:14 > 0:46:16to acquire a higher education.
0:46:16 > 0:46:20But they are limited in the fact that the parents may not have
0:46:20 > 0:46:22the financial resources to do so.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26So what we have found out is that using sports as a vehicle,
0:46:26 > 0:46:29that coupled with the academic background,
0:46:29 > 0:46:31will give these students the opportunity to realise
0:46:31 > 0:46:34the dream of going to higher education.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38Go to give yourself room...
0:46:38 > 0:46:43Mitch studied in the US on a tennis scholarship before returning to set up the academy.
0:46:43 > 0:46:48Following in his footsteps is Tamisha Richardson.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51I want to play tennis in college and be able
0:46:51 > 0:46:53to come back and work as a physiotherapist
0:46:53 > 0:46:57and also if I could teach tennis and even have my own clinic,
0:46:57 > 0:47:01or my own academy one day, that would be really good for me.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06I want us to show that Anguilla, although we're small,
0:47:06 > 0:47:09although we have 14,000 people,
0:47:09 > 0:47:11that we have talent,
0:47:11 > 0:47:15we have people that could do great things.
0:47:15 > 0:47:20To the east lies an island where a pioneering scheme means
0:47:20 > 0:47:23home-grown talent is staying put.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36Jamaica is known for its sprinting prowess,
0:47:36 > 0:47:40and is home to some of the fastest athletes in the world.
0:47:42 > 0:47:46World champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Usain Bolt are
0:47:46 > 0:47:51a product of an incredible plan that was put in place to nurture sprint
0:47:51 > 0:47:56stars here and to stop losing them to scholarships in the States.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04It was the brainchild of coach Dennis Johnson.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Sprinting is a methodology, it's a method.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13It's a skill that you have to learn.
0:48:13 > 0:48:15You ever seen somebody come from the back
0:48:15 > 0:48:17and just run past everybody and hit the tape?
0:48:17 > 0:48:20- You ever seen that?- Bolt.
0:48:20 > 0:48:21Bolt.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24That's not what you saw,
0:48:24 > 0:48:26because it's physiologically impossible
0:48:26 > 0:48:29to increase your speed after six seconds.
0:48:29 > 0:48:32Whoever you are. So that is an impossibility.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34What you've actually seen
0:48:34 > 0:48:37is the guys behind him
0:48:37 > 0:48:39tiring quicker.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43Dennis's programme is continuing to work.
0:48:43 > 0:48:48This year, 19-year-old Javon Francis smashed Usain Bolt's
0:48:48 > 0:48:52own 400m record at Jamaica's Inter-School Championships.
0:48:56 > 0:48:58I said, "Oh, my God!"
0:48:58 > 0:49:01I was so excited, I don't know what to do.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05I wanted to break a record at champs
0:49:05 > 0:49:07to motivate me, to make me train hard like
0:49:07 > 0:49:12Usain Bolt there, Yohan Blake, Nesta Carter.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15Quite a few guys who have good talent.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19I say, "I want a good talent like these guys."
0:49:20 > 0:49:23I want them, when I walk out to say,
0:49:23 > 0:49:24"Oh, that is Javon Francis."
0:49:24 > 0:49:27I just want to make a mark for myself.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38Over the Caribbean Sea is the only Commonwealth
0:49:38 > 0:49:41country in Central America, Belize.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46In San Pedro,
0:49:46 > 0:49:48triathlete Kent Gabourel is in training for the Games.
0:49:55 > 0:49:56Hey!
0:49:56 > 0:49:58- Good run?- Yeah, good run. - Pretty warm?
0:49:58 > 0:50:00Yeah, I'm used to this, this is the time of day I usually train.
0:50:00 > 0:50:03I cannot believe you train on these bikes.
0:50:03 > 0:50:04Where are we going to go?
0:50:04 > 0:50:06We're going to go over that way
0:50:06 > 0:50:08so we could get a glimpse of what I do
0:50:08 > 0:50:10and I know it's different from what I'll be
0:50:10 > 0:50:13facing in the Commonwealth Games but this is what I have and what I have to work with,
0:50:13 > 0:50:16so let's go, man.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27Kent trains on heavy steel beach bikes.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31They have wide tyres,
0:50:31 > 0:50:33one gear and no brakes.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41And now you're onto the rough stuff.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Yeah, this is what I have to deal with every time in my training.
0:50:44 > 0:50:48This is totally different from what I'll meet in Glasgow.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50This is more like mountain-biking.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54I'd love to see your other Commonwealth triathletes
0:50:54 > 0:50:56racing on bikes like this on roads like this.
0:50:56 > 0:50:59I would definitely whip them cos I have the advantage,
0:50:59 > 0:51:03this is what I'm accustomed to, this is all I need to ride best.
0:51:05 > 0:51:09Kent's not only focusing on his own future.
0:51:10 > 0:51:14Belize is the third-most violent country in the world,
0:51:14 > 0:51:17with many young people ending up in prison.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24What is it that you are worried about?
0:51:24 > 0:51:26What is it that the children are getting into?
0:51:26 > 0:51:29Well, drugs. Drugs
0:51:29 > 0:51:33and gangs, that's the main things I worry about here.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36I hate to see young guys throw away their life
0:51:36 > 0:51:38in such a manner.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40So that's why I try to educate them as much as I can.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46One young person he's been mentoring is Nestor.
0:51:46 > 0:51:50After a short time in jail, Nestor joined a football club run by Kent.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53His ambition now is to turn professional.
0:51:53 > 0:51:58I was into bad things and doing things...now all my friends see I'm doing football.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01So now all of them going to keep out of trouble
0:52:01 > 0:52:03and try to be someone like me.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06If I can do it, they can do it, too.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08My mum, right now, she's proud of me,
0:52:08 > 0:52:11cos I stopped doing bad things in the street.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13I hurt my mum a lot early,
0:52:13 > 0:52:17so now it's time to change and show her who I am, I really am.
0:52:21 > 0:52:25Kent's inspiring the next generation of triathletes, too.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32We all hope the best for him,
0:52:32 > 0:52:34so when he goes to represent Belize,
0:52:34 > 0:52:37because I know how much he
0:52:37 > 0:52:39is working out and training for this
0:52:39 > 0:52:42and we all wish him the best of luck.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05Canada is the second-largest country in the world.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11It covers six times zones
0:53:11 > 0:53:15and is the place where the first-ever Commonwealth competition was held.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21Called the British Empire Games,
0:53:21 > 0:53:26they took place in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1930.
0:53:28 > 0:53:32One former athlete who remembers the event, and who competed just
0:53:32 > 0:53:38four years later at the Empire Games in London, is 98-year-old Vi Smith.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43What's your memory of running in London in 1934?
0:53:43 > 0:53:45What was the event like?
0:53:45 > 0:53:49It was a lot of fun, we met a lot of people from other countries.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52And it was very nice to know
0:53:52 > 0:53:55you could call home if you were out of your country.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01You think the Canadian team will have fun in Scotland this year?
0:54:01 > 0:54:02Oh, I hope so!
0:54:02 > 0:54:04SHE LAUGHS
0:54:04 > 0:54:07They shouldn't be there if they don't do well.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09LAUGHTER
0:54:09 > 0:54:11Yeah, they'll do well.
0:54:12 > 0:54:14The baton leaves Canada,
0:54:14 > 0:54:18the site of the very first Games, 84 years ago, and draws ever closer
0:54:18 > 0:54:20to the 20th, in Glasgow.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00It enters the British territory of Gibraltar.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13And it's a significant stop
0:55:13 > 0:55:16because it's the last before it reaches the British Isles.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19What an incredible journey it has been!
0:55:23 > 0:55:26The baton is carried back onto the British Isles by one
0:55:26 > 0:55:29of the biggest names in UK Sport.
0:55:31 > 0:55:32It is a massive honour
0:55:32 > 0:55:37to bring this baton back home into the British Isles.
0:55:37 > 0:55:41After visiting the Channel Islands, the journey continues north
0:55:41 > 0:55:43to the Isle of Man...
0:55:47 > 0:55:48..Northern Ireland...
0:55:52 > 0:55:55..Wales - even the top of Snowdon...
0:55:56 > 0:55:58..and England.
0:55:59 > 0:56:03Getting ever closer to the Commonwealth Games' host nation.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18It's been an incredible odyssey.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22The Queen's Baton set off from London.
0:56:22 > 0:56:23And over nine months,
0:56:23 > 0:56:27travelled 118,000 miles through six continents.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33And now, it finds its way home, crossing the border into
0:56:33 > 0:56:36Scotland at Coldstream.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45The start of a 40-day tour of the host nation.
0:57:03 > 0:57:08People throughout the country have been nominated by their communities to carry the baton.
0:57:12 > 0:57:16It's passed hand-to-hand, from city to villages...
0:57:21 > 0:57:23..Highlands to islands...
0:57:33 > 0:57:39..until this morning the baton finally arrived in the city of Glasgow.
0:57:46 > 0:57:50In just three days' time, its epic journey will draw to a close,
0:57:50 > 0:57:56where in Celtic Park, the Queen will read out the message...
0:57:56 > 0:57:59and the Games will begin.