The Queen's Baton Relay continued its tour of the Pacific Islands in Samoa with local sporting personalities and current athletes taking turns to participate in the relay in the capital Apia. 

It is the Commonwealth Games' answer to the Olympic Torch relay and is making its way around countries within the Commonwealth of Nations realm, before reaching its final destination which is the location of this year's games. 

The 2022 Games will be held in the English city of Birmingham.  

The relay began at the Buckingham Palace in London, before undertaking a global journey. The final relay runner hands the baton back to the Queen who then reads the message aloud to officially open the Games.

In Samoa the event on Thursday kicked off at the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (S.A.S.N.O.C.) Gymnasium, then headed towards the Tuanaimato Multi-Purpose Gymnasium, Samoa International Cricket Oval, the Basketball courts at Tuanaimato Gym 2, and making its final stop at the Samoa International Cricket Association.

Athletes representing the sports of weightlifting, cricket, rugby 7s, athletics, netball, wrestling, basketball, judo, boxing, beach volley, lawn bowls, swimming, table tennis, Government representatives, and members of the diplomatic corps took part in the programme.

Giving a speech on Thursday to mark the occasion, the Commonwealth Games Association of Samoa President, Pauga Talalelei Pauga said he was happy to welcome the baton to Samoa.

"I want to salute the many athletes, officials, and volunteers who have taken the Queen's baton to our sports venues and sites today and yesterday, to showcase this legacy event as an important beacon to bringing our people to unity despite the COVID challenges and effects globally," he said.

The UK High Commissioner to Samoa, David Ward thanked everyone who had attended the event.

"The United Kingdom is looking forward with great anticipation to hosting so many members of our Commonwealth family," Mr. Ward said on Thursday.

"So many great athletes from around the world in Birmingham in 2022 this year for a celebration of sports and sporting links between our Commonwealth family.

"We truly hope it will be a demonstration of sports for everyone this year.

"These last two years have not been the most easy ones for international sports, the COVID has created barriers around the world to travel to participation in sport.

"I congratulate the sporting authorities of Samoan on having been able to welcome the Queen's baton here this week and to provide this appropriate celebration in such a way that fits the times that we live in and is safe observed all COVID restrictions."

The baton will soon be travelling to Tonga with Mr. Ward saying that they hope in the island kingdom it can represent a beacon of hope and of better times to come following the nation's twin volcanic eruption and tsunami disasters.

"A reminder that they are part of the same family as well, and they are in our minds, and we must hope and pray that there are better times ahead for them as well," he said.

"I look forward to Samoa's participation in the Commonwealth Games later this year, I hope they will be free, fair, and enjoyable games for all participants.

"I must thank you for your welcome here today."

The Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, Emily Luck said that Australia had the pleasure of hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2018, and hope to host it again with their bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

"We were very privileged to witness the sporting talents from Samoa at the Gold Coast and across our region at the Gold Coast Games with a fitting motto from our perspective 'sharing the dream'," Ms. Luck said.

"Samoa's athletes demonstrated the power of dreams and the strength of the human spirit as they represented their families, villages, and the nation on the international stage."

Ms Luck said that Australia continues to enjoy working in collaboration with Samoa and the Pacific across a range of sporting partnerships at the grassroots level through to athlete support and capacity building.