After taking part in a special celebration on London's Millennium Bridge yesterday attended by Olympic champions Sir Chris Hoy and Rebecca Adlington, today the Baton toured around the site of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Another Olympic champion was on hand to greet the Baton, four-time Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent, who abseiled down the 114.5 metre tall ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture at the Olympic Park carrying the Baton.

To mark the Baton's return to London, having been launched by Queen Elizabeth last October, a special free Festival of Sport was held in the Park which saw thousands of people turn up to take part in host of free sporting activities and workshops, competitions and street food pop-ups.

Northern Ireland's former world champion and Edmonton 1978 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Barry McGuigan was at the Park to welcome young people into a specially-built ring where they were given a chance to try out a range of sports.

Long jumper Jade Johnson, the 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, claimed the occasion brought back memories of London 2012 and added to the excitement of the build-up to next month's Commonwealth Games, due to get underway on July 23.

Four-time Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent abseiled down the ArcelorMittal Orbit with the Glasgow 2014 Queen's Baton ©Getty Images




"It's really nice to be here at the Olympic Park, to see so many people being active and having fun," said Johnson.

"For the Baton to go around the venue - it starts to bring it on board.

"I think we've got to keep the momentum going."

Six specially selected community heroes from boroughs around East London - Chris Zah, Daniel O'Sullivan, Jonathan Webb, Jim Howell, Ashley Cooper and Jonathan Bennett - helped to carry the Baton around the Park before it then continued its journey by heading for Downing Street.

London 2012 star and women's boxing champion Nicola Adams carried the Baton into Downing Street where it was welcomed by Cameron.

"The Baton Relay gives the whole country and Commonwealth the chance to share in the excitement of the countdown to Glasgow 2014," said Cameron.

"And as the Baton travels through London and the Olympic Park, it is a reminder of the huge capacity these world-class sporting events have to capture people's imagination and how Glasgow 2014 will build on that legacy."

Former Commonwealth Games boxing champion Barry McGuigan (centre) meets six of the batonbearers in the Olympic Park today ©Getty Images



The Baton continues the final leg of its international journey through England this week as it makes its way north to Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, the final stop on its tour on June 13 before its begins its 40-day trek through host country Scotland the following day, starting in capital city Edinburgh.

The Baton is set to be carried by 4,000 batonbearers across more than 400 communities in Scotland before entering Celtic Park for the Opening Ceremony on July 23 to get the 11 days of sporting action underway which run until August 3.

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