:00:00. > :00:00.Five months ago an epic journey began.
:00:00. > :00:07.From Buckingham Palace, the Queen's Baton Relay
:00:08. > :00:10.set out on a voyage around the Commonwealth.
:00:11. > :00:13.To visit 70 nations and territories,
:00:14. > :00:17.in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.
:00:18. > :00:21.Absolutely wonderful. Brings all the Commonwealth together.
:00:22. > :00:25.Following the baton is adventurer Mark Beaumont.
:00:26. > :00:31.Along the way, he will meet the next generation of athletes
:00:32. > :00:35.I want to make a name for South African gymnastics,
:00:36. > :00:40.Experience the incredible sights and sounds
:00:41. > :00:43.that make up the modern Commonwealth.
:00:44. > :00:50.And encounter just a few of the 2.2 billion people who call it home.
:00:51. > :01:09.All connected by the Queen's Baton Relay.
:01:10. > :01:12.This leg of the relay covers a huge distance.
:01:13. > :01:16.From the majestic landscapes of Africa.
:01:17. > :01:30.athletes are preparing for the Games in Glasgow this summer.
:01:31. > :01:34.From reigning champions to underdogs, each of them
:01:35. > :01:44.And now their stories are inspiring a new generation to embrace sport.
:01:45. > :01:49.The first country on this part of the journey is Botswana.
:01:50. > :02:00.A nation that is just beginning to realise its sporting potential.
:02:01. > :02:06.In 2010, Botswana caused a stir when it picked up gold, silver
:02:07. > :02:15.and bronze medals at the last Commonwealth Games.
:02:16. > :02:19.And two years later, 19-year-old Nijel Amos shocked the world when
:02:20. > :02:34.he came from nowhere to win silver at the 800m in the London Olympics.
:02:35. > :02:36.Getting your fastest time tattooed on your arm,
:02:37. > :02:48.Nijel's astonishing performance at the Olympic Games
:02:49. > :02:51.has earned him celebrity status in Botswana.
:02:52. > :02:55.And his success is having a huge impact on the country's youth.
:02:56. > :02:59.It's inspired lots of people, lots of youths,
:03:00. > :03:06.Because he was young, like, June 2012 he was 19.
:03:07. > :03:09.So it's inspired lots of us to work hard.
:03:10. > :03:12.We can see that age doesn't really matter.
:03:13. > :03:36.But for now, Nijel is focusing on just one thing.
:03:37. > :03:39.From Botswana, the baton made a short stop
:03:40. > :03:44.in Mauritius before continuing its journey to Mozambique.
:03:45. > :04:00.Where a completely different kind of sport is changing lives.
:04:01. > :04:06.For decades, skateboarding in Mozambique was nothing more
:04:07. > :04:13.But in recent years, as skateboards have slowly become cheaper,
:04:14. > :04:16.young people all over the capital city of Maputo have started
:04:17. > :04:22.Yeah, I started skating in 2009 with my friend and my brother.
:04:23. > :04:27.we started skating and then I couldn't just stop skating.
:04:28. > :04:30.Some years I had some difficulty to get some skateboards,
:04:31. > :04:38.but I still had the feeling. So, yeah, man.
:04:39. > :04:43.Nearly 50% of Mozambique's population is under 18.
:04:44. > :04:49.so have groups like Projecto Radical, which provide young people
:04:50. > :04:54.with a place to meet and skills which go way beyond the skatepark.
:04:55. > :05:06.Besides skateboarding we also teach them photography, filming, graffiti.
:05:07. > :05:14.Because skateboarding is not just a sport, it's also an art.
:05:15. > :05:17.In the last four, five years since you've been skating,
:05:18. > :05:22.how have you seen the whole community change in Mozambique?
:05:23. > :05:27.Now I see some people that show some feeling for that.
:05:28. > :05:29.Somehow I can call it love or whatever.
:05:30. > :05:32.But I can see some people that are taking it seriously.
:05:33. > :05:37.That's what I like. May the skateboard remain, here in Maputo.
:05:38. > :05:41.The kids here make even the most complicated tricks look easy.
:05:42. > :05:43.If this ever became a Commonwealth Games event,
:05:44. > :05:47.Mozambique wouldn't be short of talent.
:05:48. > :05:52.they won't have anything to worry about.
:05:53. > :06:12.Skating has changed the lives of these young people in Mozambique.
:06:13. > :06:16.And in the tiny landlocked country of Lesotho, it's the landscape
:06:17. > :06:23.that is helping to develop a whole new generation of superstars.
:06:24. > :06:27.These guys are absolutely flying. They've already done miles.
:06:28. > :06:32.And the terrain here, not just is it hugely rolling, but it's high.
:06:33. > :06:36.The whole of Lesotho is on a plateau with big mountain ranges.
:06:37. > :06:39.Perfect for altitude training for these marathon runners.
:06:40. > :06:49.who are the heroes, who are the real stars?
:06:50. > :06:54.We do have Mamorallo Tjoka, she is called the Queen of Soweto Marathon,
:06:55. > :07:04.which means she won it more than five times.
:07:05. > :07:07.Marathon runner Mamorallo Tjoka has been running in these
:07:08. > :07:12.After competing in the London and Beijing Olympics,
:07:13. > :07:21.And the key to her success is altitude.
:07:22. > :07:23.TRANSLATION: I think we have advantage
:07:24. > :07:29.in our country and when we train there we use a lot of power.
:07:30. > :07:32.So when we get to a level ground I don't have to use
:07:33. > :07:44.With the entire country over 1,000 metres above sea level,
:07:45. > :07:48.Lesotho is harnessing its terrain to drive athletic excellence.
:07:49. > :07:51.And the growing success of its marathon runners means
:07:52. > :07:54.the country is now beginning to pitch itself as a world-class
:07:55. > :08:00.You know it has been there for a long time,
:08:01. > :08:02.but we have never taken advantage of it.
:08:03. > :08:06.It is now that we are beginning to realise that this can be
:08:07. > :08:10.Because running basically is business now,
:08:11. > :08:14.because it helps countries to grow or to improve their economies.
:08:15. > :08:16.Like, look at Kenya, look at Ethiopia.
:08:17. > :08:25.are already putting their own country on the map.
:08:26. > :08:30.And her success is inspiring a new generation of female athletes.
:08:31. > :08:33.Mamorallo is helping younger runners.
:08:34. > :08:40.Once they see her running, many more female runners want to be like her.
:08:41. > :08:44.Like now, we have in the mountains near the place where
:08:45. > :08:49.she was born, there are so many girls who are very good runners.
:08:50. > :08:54.And we have just got sponsorship to go up there
:08:55. > :08:57.and assist those young runners with running gear
:08:58. > :09:00.because they run barefoot, they don't have any training gear.
:09:01. > :09:08.So this sponsorship will help us get them some attire.
:09:09. > :09:11.This year will be the first time Mamorallo has been to Scotland
:09:12. > :09:15.since coming second at the Edinburgh Marathon in 2013.
:09:16. > :09:19.And the prospect of running in a considerably cooler climate
:09:20. > :09:30.TRANSLATION: I don't get any problems because my body's very fit.
:09:31. > :09:34.And because of that I can run anywhere, either cold or hot.
:09:35. > :09:39.It doesn't matter, my body's strong enough to bear the temperature.
:09:40. > :09:43.Have you had a chance to look at the marathon route in Glasgow,
:09:44. > :09:55.Usually what I do is never look at the route
:09:56. > :09:58.because sometimes it gets me stressed out.
:09:59. > :10:01.I think I run better when I haven't checked it out,
:10:02. > :10:08.But Mamorallo isn't the only athlete in this part of Africa
:10:09. > :10:15.Across the border lies one of the strongest sporting nations
:10:16. > :10:23.Covering half a million square miles,
:10:24. > :10:28.this vast country is a Commonwealth Games giant.
:10:29. > :10:34.South Africa has taken part in every competition -
:10:35. > :10:38.at the last games, winning gold medals in athletics,
:10:39. > :10:56.one young athlete dreams of adding her event to that list
:10:57. > :11:02.17-year-old Kirsten Beckett has been training since she was five.
:11:03. > :11:04.Now she is one of the best South African gymnasts
:11:05. > :11:10.and an inspiration to the younger kids she trains with.
:11:11. > :11:18.Well, I train six days a week, about four hours a day.
:11:19. > :11:22.During those four hours, strength is definitely a huge part in it,
:11:23. > :11:26.cos without strength I don't think you would be able to be a gymnast.
:11:27. > :11:29.So we spend a lot of time on strength work, flexibility,
:11:30. > :11:32.definitely, stamina, as well, is very important.
:11:33. > :11:35.There's a lot of girls here aged five, six, seven,
:11:36. > :11:38.When do you need to start taking it more seriously?
:11:39. > :11:40.You should start taking gymnastics more seriously
:11:41. > :11:42.when you're about the age of 11 or 12,
:11:43. > :11:45.and you start to hit your peaking stage.
:11:46. > :11:50.That is so much younger than almost any other sport I can imagine.
:11:51. > :11:53.What was that like the when you had to start dedicating
:11:54. > :11:57.I think, for me, when I was younger, it was all fun,
:11:58. > :12:03.I did it because I loved it and I wanted to come every day.
:12:04. > :12:07.But to get to the top it's not just training that matters.
:12:08. > :12:13.having a supportive family is essential.
:12:14. > :12:19.because I mean we basically had to change our eating.
:12:20. > :12:22.Money was ridiculous, because there's a cost for everything -
:12:23. > :12:27.And also the dedication that she had to put in.
:12:28. > :12:31.We had to alter our lives so that we could actually get her here.
:12:32. > :12:36.But you know what? It's all worth it.
:12:37. > :12:40.South Africa may not be known for its gymnastics,
:12:41. > :12:43.but Kirsten's coach believes that this year's Games
:12:44. > :12:46.present a unique opportunity for her team.
:12:47. > :12:49.For us, the Commonwealth Games is a really big, important competition,
:12:50. > :12:53.because there's the top three countries,
:12:54. > :12:58.who are tough to beat, but not impossible to beat.
:12:59. > :13:01.So in the Commonwealth we can make the top ten,
:13:02. > :13:05.and possibly top six and, like I say, we can win medals.
:13:06. > :13:13.So it's a realistic goal for us to have.
:13:14. > :13:16.I want to make a name for South African gymnastics, you know,
:13:17. > :13:20.And obviously this year I want to make the Commonwealth Games,
:13:21. > :13:25.and hopefully medal, and I want to win the African Champs.
:13:26. > :13:29.At 17, Kirsten is already a seasoned professional
:13:30. > :13:35.And, like other athletes her age, the Commonwealth Games
:13:36. > :13:45.give her a real chance to shine on the world stage.
:13:46. > :13:51.From Cape Town, the baton sets sail for its next destination...
:13:52. > :14:01...the tiny Atlantic island of St Helena.
:14:02. > :14:09.It's a 2,000-mile journey, and there's only one way to get there.
:14:10. > :14:14.This is one of the last Royal Mail ships in existence.
:14:15. > :14:18.For the past 25 years, the RMS St Helena has been
:14:19. > :14:21.the island's only link to the outside world.
:14:22. > :14:26.It's the only way that people can get onto and off St Helena.
:14:27. > :14:28.As well as that, it's also the only way that goods and services
:14:29. > :14:34.In other words, if we don't carry it, they don't have it.
:14:35. > :14:37.For the passengers on this five-day sea voyage,
:14:38. > :14:47.the journey is a chance to relax and enjoy the view.
:14:48. > :14:55.In two years' time, the island is due to open its first airport...
:14:56. > :15:06.will make this journey for the last time.
:15:07. > :15:09.With a population of less than 4,000 people,
:15:10. > :15:14.St Helena is the kind of place where everybody knows each other.
:15:15. > :15:18.And, when every journey off the island involves a long boat trip,
:15:19. > :15:24.opportunities to compete in other countries are few and far between.
:15:25. > :15:28.One of those competitors is 19-year-old Maddie Andrews,
:15:29. > :15:32.who hopes to represent St Helena at the Games this year.
:15:33. > :15:34.Because I've only been off the island once,
:15:35. > :15:37.and that was to Ascension with the New Horizons team,
:15:38. > :15:44.I kind of want to see what's out there and see competition.
:15:45. > :15:47.If I go out in the bigger world, to the Commonwealth Games,
:15:48. > :15:56.and be able to see what they do and how they do it.
:15:57. > :15:59.When you haven't been off the island,
:16:00. > :16:02.you don't know what goes on, what equipment they've got,
:16:03. > :16:08.So trying to get them up to speed here
:16:09. > :16:14.I think it is quite good and I think they'll be ready.
:16:15. > :16:24.For athletes like Maddie, the Games present a fantastic opportunity
:16:25. > :16:29.to compete with teams from around the world.
:16:30. > :16:32.Overcoming huge distances is a challenge shared
:16:33. > :16:40.including the next destination on the relay.
:16:41. > :16:53.On the other side of the Atlantic lie the Falkland Islands.
:16:54. > :16:57.A group of 778 islands, less than a thousand miles
:16:58. > :17:04.the Falklands have recently experienced a surge in tourism.
:17:05. > :17:08.Huge cruise ships bring visitors eager to catch a glimpse
:17:09. > :17:10.of the islands' most famous residents.
:17:11. > :17:13.Each summer, up to a million penguins come to nest
:17:14. > :17:17.on these islands which means that at their peak they outnumber
:17:18. > :17:23.the human residents by over 300 to 1.
:17:24. > :17:27.But these islands are gearing up for something huge.
:17:28. > :17:31.Because for this small territory, the Commonwealth Games is by far
:17:32. > :17:34.the biggest event on the sporting calendar.
:17:35. > :17:37.People get to join with other Commonwealth countries
:17:38. > :17:41.and really put their best foot forward for the islands.
:17:42. > :17:44.I think it's wonderful, absolutely wonderful -
:17:45. > :17:51.brings all the Commonwealth together.
:17:52. > :17:54.And no-one's preparing harder than the coach and captain
:17:55. > :17:58.of the national badminton team, Doug Clark.
:17:59. > :18:01.What a spot! Right in the middle of Port Stanley. It is, yeah.
:18:02. > :18:05.So, how long have you been here? Just over 30 years.
:18:06. > :18:07.Have you seen life on the island change much?
:18:08. > :18:10.Yeah, I have, it's changed quite dramatically
:18:11. > :18:14.since when I first got here, it's grown quite a lot.
:18:15. > :18:17.You say that, but it's still a pretty small population.
:18:18. > :18:29.where we're going to be playing, holds twice as many as that.
:18:30. > :18:32.So you could take twice the population of the Falklands
:18:33. > :18:38.and not even fill the stadium! Why is badminton so popular here?
:18:39. > :18:43.I think it's due to being the oldest club in the Falklands,
:18:44. > :18:45.and it's something you can play all year round.
:18:46. > :18:47.Considering this is still the middle of summer for you,
:18:48. > :18:50.I can see why you want to do some of your sports inside.
:18:51. > :18:57.Yeah, we don't play out in the garden too much!
:18:58. > :19:01.Stanley Badminton Club has been running for over 60 years,
:19:02. > :19:12.and today it's more popular than ever.
:19:13. > :19:14.BREATHLESSLY: First ever game of badminton.
:19:15. > :19:17.They call it the fastest racket game in the world, and you can see why.
:19:18. > :19:21.Bit of practice? Yeah, you'll be fine.
:19:22. > :19:26.Badminton is the biggest sport on the islands.
:19:27. > :19:31.finding other teams to play against is a real challenge.
:19:32. > :19:36.Which is why they've called on a secret weapon.
:19:37. > :19:39.Rebecca Pantenay is an English gold medallist
:19:40. > :19:43.who's been volunteering to coach the team for the past seven years.
:19:44. > :19:46.The Commonwealth will be the pinnacle that they can play at,
:19:47. > :19:48.it will be the top, it's where they'll see the top players,
:19:49. > :19:51.the English, the Malaysians, and to be honest
:19:52. > :19:54.then that will be a different world for them to see.
:19:55. > :19:57.So, yeah, it's the stepping stones within the sort of
:19:58. > :20:00.Island Games, Commonwealth Youth that we build them up.
:20:01. > :20:05.And who will you be cheering for at Glasgow? Falklands.
:20:06. > :20:07.No, I mean, I know a lot of the people in the UK,
:20:08. > :20:09.I know a lot of the coaches, I'll still work with some of them,
:20:10. > :20:13.but I'll be there with the Falkland guys and, yeah,
:20:14. > :20:20.I'll be proud to be there for them.
:20:21. > :20:24.This will be a huge year for the Falkland Islands
:20:25. > :20:27.and, as a British territory, the Commonwealth Games gives
:20:28. > :20:31.these players a unique chance to compete in their own right.
:20:32. > :20:35.Because we're so small, we try and stand out the most,
:20:36. > :20:43."Quite far away, but we're still here!"
:20:44. > :20:45.From the windswept hills of the Falklands
:20:46. > :20:51.the baton heads north to begin a whole new leg of the relay.
:20:52. > :20:54.After a brief visit to Guyana, the next country
:20:55. > :21:08.Barbados is the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands,
:21:09. > :21:11.and home to a quarter of a million people.
:21:12. > :21:14.And for the relay, it's the start of a whole new world
:21:15. > :21:35.This is some of the Barbados Rugby Sevens team.
:21:36. > :21:39.they were not going to the Commonwealth Games,
:21:40. > :21:41.but they've been called up last minute
:21:42. > :21:45.So, now they've got a real race to get ready in time
:21:46. > :21:56.because they'll be facing some of the toughest teams in the world.
:21:57. > :21:59.They have come a long way since Barbados placed last
:22:00. > :22:02.at the Caribbean Championships a few years ago.
:22:03. > :22:05.But this team of amateurs are now preparing
:22:06. > :22:15.And, to help them, they've created their own backyard gym.
:22:16. > :22:18.Not a chance! It seems every time. You're fast!
:22:19. > :22:21.And that's under the midday Caribbean sun. What a place to train.
:22:22. > :22:24.Exactly. Tyres, rope, simple. Get speed training in easily.
:22:25. > :22:27.And this is how you do your training off the pitch?
:22:28. > :22:32.and we use everyday, simple stuff and we get the resistance we need.
:22:33. > :22:44.this team are definitely considered underdogs.
:22:45. > :22:47.And, to many, facing up to the reigning champions,
:22:48. > :22:49.New Zealand, might be a daunting prospect.
:22:50. > :22:53.But for the players here it's the opportunity of a lifetime.
:22:54. > :22:57.It's a big, big thing to see your idols,
:22:58. > :23:00.watching them from a youth coming up into a bit of manhood.
:23:01. > :23:03.And to step on the field and actually
:23:04. > :23:06.have them teach you something, it's a big, big thing.
:23:07. > :23:09.We joke around, you know, as a child you want to be like someone,
:23:10. > :23:12.you look up to somebody, and now we have to come back into ourselves
:23:13. > :23:14.and say I'm going to be myself and put my best foot forward
:23:15. > :23:21.to play against who I looked up to, you know?
:23:22. > :23:25.The team going to Glasgow will be a mixture of local players
:23:26. > :23:31.And their coach, Joe Whipple, is relishing the challenge
:23:32. > :23:35.of facing the biggest teams in the world.
:23:36. > :23:38.A very serious question - are you going there expecting to win matches?
:23:39. > :23:43.I never go into a game thinking I'm not going to have an opportunity.
:23:44. > :23:47.to come up with some ways to play various teams.
:23:48. > :23:50.And I've seen a bunch of tape on New Zealand,
:23:51. > :23:52.and if you asked their coach, you know, did they play
:23:53. > :23:55.the perfect game in the last tournament? No, they didn't.
:23:56. > :23:58.There were some holes, there were some holes on defence,
:23:59. > :24:02.so, you know, our expectation - I'd be very disappointed
:24:03. > :24:06.if we don't get out there and get a couple of wins, sure.
:24:07. > :24:11.With each training session, this team are pushing harder and further,
:24:12. > :24:14.and it's hoped that their performance in Glasgow
:24:15. > :24:18.will inspire a new generation of Barbadians to take up the sport.
:24:19. > :24:21.Heading to the Commonwealth was not even in my dream.
:24:22. > :24:26.But through improving myself I've really gotten into rugby,
:24:27. > :24:30.I really realised a lot of things I didn't have planned.
:24:31. > :24:40.So this is the icing on the cake for me.
:24:41. > :24:45.the baton has travelled through ten countries -
:24:46. > :24:48.from Africa, through the islands of the South Atlantic,
:24:49. > :24:53.and on to South America and the Caribbean.
:24:54. > :24:58.The final country in this part of the relay is Grenada...
:24:59. > :25:05...where a young athlete is beginning to make waves.
:25:06. > :25:11.and has been swimming competitively since she was five.
:25:12. > :25:15.Three years ago she was diagnosed with bone cancer in her left femur,
:25:16. > :25:19.and underwent an operation to remove part of her leg.
:25:20. > :25:26.about becoming Grenada's first ever para-athlete.
:25:27. > :25:31.Is swimming different now after the operation than before the operation?
:25:32. > :25:44.I mean she uses swimming also as therapy
:25:45. > :25:50.she needs to strengthen, do some work on her right leg
:25:51. > :25:55.And swimming has been like a lifeline to her, you know,
:25:56. > :26:03.Nye is a rising star in a country that does not have
:26:04. > :26:09.Without one, she is unable to apply to compete
:26:10. > :26:12.in the Commonwealth Games or the Olympics.
:26:13. > :26:15.But all that could be about to change,
:26:16. > :26:17.because now there are plans to create
:26:18. > :26:20.the nation's first Para-sports committee.
:26:21. > :26:22.What opportunities do you think that Nye
:26:23. > :26:24.and other athletes like her will have?
:26:25. > :26:27.I think it would be glad for them to have something
:26:28. > :26:31.to look forward to, and this is the most important thing.
:26:32. > :26:34.Even though some of them who do different sports,
:26:35. > :26:39.they've probably been just doing it just for the love of it.
:26:40. > :26:41.Now they have something to look forward to,
:26:42. > :26:47.And Nye - I'm not worried about Nye working harder.
:26:48. > :26:49.She loves the sport and she loves to work.
:26:50. > :26:53.What's it been like as a coach taking Nye from a youngster
:26:54. > :26:58.through her illness and operation to continuing training?
:26:59. > :27:03.It was a bit of an experience for me.
:27:04. > :27:07.I mean, she's been here with all limbs,
:27:08. > :27:10.and then while she was going through the operation at home,
:27:11. > :27:13.she was saying, "Listen, when I come out of here I'm going to swim."
:27:14. > :27:17.And when I heard that, then I started preparing,
:27:18. > :27:20.preparing mentally for it, and I think it was not much.
:27:21. > :27:24.When she got back here it didn't make much of a difference,
:27:25. > :27:31.because I was already prepared for her and having her back in the pool.
:27:32. > :27:35.Nye dreams of one day competing in world-class events
:27:36. > :27:42.Her ultimate goal is to become a doctor.
:27:43. > :27:45.What's the reason you want to be a doctor?
:27:46. > :27:50.Is that because of how much you've been helped by doctors?
:27:51. > :27:59.For her grandparents, Nye's ability to overcome her illness
:28:00. > :28:02.is an overwhelmingly positive message in a country
:28:03. > :28:07.that is only now recognising the potential of athletes like her.
:28:08. > :28:10.It will be good for, you know, Grenada, other people,
:28:11. > :28:12.other children who may have disabilities.
:28:13. > :28:17.you know, there's nothing you cannot do.
:28:18. > :28:19.And, yeah, I would like to see it, even if she has to be
:28:20. > :28:26.for others to follow would be good, would be great.
:28:27. > :28:29.Join Mark next time as the relay continues
:28:30. > :28:31.on its journey around the Commonwealth
:28:32. > :28:35.and through the island nations of the Caribbean,
:28:36. > :28:38.where athletes are pointing towards the future
:28:39. > :28:44.I want to become the world's fastest man!
:28:45. > :29:06.Islands and people - all united by the Queen's Baton Relay.
:29:07. > :29:10.Hello, I'm Riz Lateef with your 90 second update.
:29:11. > :29:13.Objects - including this one - have been spotted during the hunt for the
:29:14. > :29:14.missing plane. It comes after the search