The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games baton will be carried by many of the sportsmen and sportswomen selected to represent the Isle of Man at the Games this summer. The Queen’s Baton Relay arrives on the Island this Friday and it is an integral part of the build-up to Glasgow 2014 which begins on July 23. Her Majesty The Queen launched the relay at Buckingham Palace on October 9 last year and that signalled the start of the Baton’s 118,000 mile journey to all Commonwealth nations and territories. The baton will arrive here on May 16 from the Guernsey and Jersey legs of the relay and will be accompanied by Clyde, the Glasgow 2014 mascot. 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Mark Christian, and London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Peter Kennaugh, may take part in the relay. Both cyclists have been selected to represent Team Isle of Man in Glasgow, but at the time of writing their participation in the baton relay was yet to be confirmed. Check the @IOMCGA Team Isle of Man Twitter account for updates. The following is a list of those Team Isle of Man Glasgow 2014 competitors who are confirmed as baton bearers:

• Alex Bregazzi - swimming
• Nicole Burns - gymnastics
• Anna Christian - cycling
• Guy Davies - swimming
• Tara Donnelly - gymnastics
• Grace Harrison - gymnastics
• Laura Kinley - swimming
• Kaitlin Kneen - gymnastics
• Harshul Measuria - gymnastics
• Mukunda Measuria – gymnastics
• Andrew Nash - triathlon
• Lara Ward - shooting
• Laura Wasley - cycling

Also carrying the baton will be hockey player Tom Evans, basketball player Gemma Kirkham, and kart racer Craig Wade. They are not competing at Glasgow 2014, but are all talented young sports stars who are supported by Isle of Man Sport Aid. Archer Sarah Rigby, who competed at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, will also be carrying the baton. Archery is not included as one of the sports at Glasgow 2014. This is the confirmed list of baton bearers at the time of writing, but there may be others added to the list before the relay begins on the Island on Friday.

The Isle of Man legs of the Baton Relay will also feature in BBC 1’s The One Show presented by Chris Evans and Alex Jones from a studio which will be set-up at the Villa Marina on Friday evening. On Saturday it will visit the Manx Youth Games, then central Douglas around lunchtime, and Laxey during the afternoon. On Sunday the Baton Relay party will be at the TT Grandstand which is the start line for the Mountain Time-Trial cycle race, and then it’s off to Peel and the House of Manannan and back to Douglas in the afternoon. The Baton Relay leaves the Island on Monday May 19 and continues its journey with the next stop being Northern Ireland. The relay will culminate at the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on July 23, 2014. Inside the baton is Her Majesty’s message to the Commonwealth which will remain hidden until the opening ceremony.

For all the latest Baton Relay and Team Isle of Man news go to www.cga.im or follow Team Isle of Man on Twitter @IOMCGA which will be updated with news about additional baton bearers when they are confirmed.

Photo -Some of Team Isle of Man’s squad going to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Many squad members will be seen carrying the baton this weekend.