Three Moree residents will have the honour of carrying the Queen’s baton when it makes its way through Gunnedah on Wednesday.
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The Queen’s Baton Relay is currently making its way through NSW and will arrive in Gunnedah at lunch time on Wednesday, January 21.
Among the 28 baton-bearers for the Gunnedah leg of the baton’s epic journey from Buckingham Palace to the Gold Coast, will be Moree’s Michelle Dunlop, Ron Clissold and Frank Crump.
Frank will be the first of the Moree residents to touch the baton at 1.01pm, receiving it from Gunnedah’s Peter Loveridge on Templar Street. Frank will carry it along Templar Street, turning right onto Bloomfield Street before passing it on to Springfield Lakes’ Stacey Chisholm.
Having been counting down the days until the relay, Frank is very excited for the honour, being also one of two featured baton bearers chosen for the Gunnedah celebrations.
“I’m 60 and this is something I’ve never had the chance to do and I won’t have the chance to do again,” he said.
“Something I will remember is that when I found out, my mum only had so long left to live. We weren’t allowed to tell anyone and a week later she passed away, so I didn’t get to tell her.
“I know when I hold the baton, she’s going to come to mind.”
Frank plans to “take it easy” during his 200 metre relay leg, although “might have a bit of a sprint at the end just to take the glory”.
Twelve-year-old Moree Public School student Michelle Dunlop will take the baton from Narrabri’s Leslie Knox at 1.18pm on Bloomfield Street.
She will carry it along Bloomfield Street, turning right into Wentworth Street where she will pass it on to Breeza’s Sarah-Jane Bonner.
Michelle said while she’s excited about the honour, she’s also “a little bit nervous”.
“I’m nervous I’ll drop it; I’m very clumsy and get sweaty when I’m nervous, so I’m worried it’ll slip out of my hands,” she said.
“I was feaked out that it was 200 metres, as I come last at every race during athletics carnivals.”
Michelle will have a large support base coming to cheer her on, including her parents, grandparents and friends.
“I’m probably just going to do slow jogging, inspired by my mum,” she said of her plan during her few minutes of glory.
Finally, Ron Clissold will take the baton from Sarah-Jane Bonner at Kitchener Park at 1.35pm.
He will carry the baton through the park and onto the Kamilaroi Highway, handing it onto Boggrabri’s Noreen Boehm.
Ron said he was feeling “pretty relaxed” ahead of the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“It’s just an honour to be picked from the amount of people I believe were nominated,” he said.
The honour will mean Ron will be the third person to represent his family at a Commonwealth Games, with one of his nephews a gold and silver medallist, while another has coached the cycling team.
Although Ron is a runner, he said he just plans to “cruise and enjoy” the short 200 metres of glory.
The Gunnedah relay will finish at 1.50pm at Wolseley Park where the community celebration will take place.
At the celebrations, each baton-bearer will receive a medallion to mark the occasion.
Everyone is invited to attend the celebration which will finish at about 4.30pm.
