Commonwealth Games baton visits Ballina
Participants in the Queen’s Baton Relay through Ballina mixed with sporting ‘royalty’ as the town got an early taste of Melbourne Commonwealth Games fever.
One of the runners was none other than Geoff Hunt, the former 11-times British Open squash champion. Hunt is also a coach of this year’s Games squash squad.
The relay entered Ballina on January 30 and headed north Byron Bay the following morning.
Fawcett Park was the venue for the day’s celebrations, with Aboriginal performers, a talented young female singing quartet and a female comedian entertaining the crowd.
Bundjalung Elders Louis Cook and Bertha Kapeen gave a welcome.
Among those carrying the baton were two well-known Ballina identities, Stan Tilley and Ron Shepherd.
Mr Tilley has coached thousand’s of the region’s swimmers, including Olympic champion Petria Thomas.
Mr Shepherd has been a stalwart of Far North Coast lifesaving for many decades.
For a list of the runners, see http://www.ballina.info/blog/2006/01/30/the-queens-baton-relay-enters-the-ballina-shire-today/
