By Christine de Kock
HUNDREDS of residents cheered runner Beau Gerring as he entered Skinners Reserve in Braybrook with the Queen’s Baton last Wednesday morning.
Mr Gerring, a West Footscray resident, was the first runner to carry the baton in the City of Maribrynong.
Mayor Janet Rice said the reserve came alive when crowds spotted Mr Gerring.
“There were lots of people cheering him on, it was a really great coming together of the community,” Cr Rice said.
“It was fantastic feeling I was very proud of the community and what they were doing to support the Games.”
Phyllis May Andersson, aged in her 80s, also carried the baton down a section of Ballarat Rd in Maidstone.
“It was rather overwhelming to have people waving and being a VIP for 10 minutes,” Mrs Andersson said.
The baton relay celebrations followed on from earlier events during the week when the council welcomed their ‘adopted country’ Bangladesh at a civic reception on Tuesday.
The Bangladeshi team has 13 competitors who will take part in five disciplines in the Commonwealth Games.
Bangladeshi supporters were pinning their hopes on shooter Asif Hossain Khan to this week duplicate his success at the last Commonwealth Games and bring home a gold medal.
