Miss Samoa carried the King’s Baton into the Cultural Village, where a traditional kava ceremony provided a formal Samoan welcome. Crafted from sustainably sourced Scottish ash, as with all 74 Batons across the Commonwealth, Samoa’s Baton was decorated to reflect national identity. Traditional tattoo patterns framed the outer handles, while the red Teuila ginger, Samoa’s national flower, featured prominently within the design.
A ceremonial kava bowl appeared alongside the fly whisk and talking stick used by high-ranking chiefs in oratory and customary gatherings. The nineteenth-century Tumoa Fai tapa design was incorporated into the carved detailing to symbolise the prosperity of land and ocean. Teak, introduced during the colonial era, was set against native Ifilele hardwood to represent independence alongside shared history, completed with tapa-cloth motifs and Afa binding.
From the Cultural Village, the Relay began its journey through the capital, led by Samoan swimmer Brandon Schuster, followed by batonbearers from outrigger canoe, squash and swimming. Along the sea wall, waste-management stakeholders conducted a two-hour coastal clean-up in support of the Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign, reinforcing Samoa’s commitment to protecting its marine environment as part of the shared Commonwealth effort.
The Relay continued west to engage Eco Green Warriors and village youth groups already leading plastic-free initiatives in their communities. Batonbearers combined relay legs with roadside and drain-clearing activities before the route returned along Main Beach Road towards the eastern coastline. Police-escorted legs featured young athletes from netball, taekwondo, tennis, hockey, Samoa Tag, golf and basketball, reflecting the breadth of Samoa’s sporting landscape.
At the mangrove walk, the Baton was carried along the boardwalk and onto a kayak within the mangrove swamp, highlighting the close connection between land and ocean that underpins Samoa’s environmental priorities and its contribution to the Clean Oceans campaign.
At Cross Island School, more than 280 students gathered as the 2025 Head Girl carried the Baton into her former school. An educational session connected the Relay’s theme to the values of Commonwealth Sport and the journey towards Glasgow 2026, before the Baton travelled to the former home of Robert Louis Stevenson, known in Samoa as Tusitala.
Batonbearers carried it through the museum grounds, linking Samoa’s cultural heritage with its place within the Commonwealth movement.
The final day saw the Relay pass through Apia’s central business district before concluding at SASNOC Headquarters. Miss Samoa opened the finale before football and a nine-strong triathlon team carried successive legs through the capital.
The closing stages brought together some of Samoa’s most distinguished Commonwealth athletes. Ele Opeloge, Commonwealth Games gold medallist at Delhi 2010 and silver medallist at Melbourne 2006, and the first Samoan to win an Olympic medal, carried the Baton during the final stretch. She was joined by Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens representative Brian Lima, alongside international rugby figure Alesana Tuilagi, as High Commissioners, ministers and SASNOC officials marked the handover.
Across five days, 128 batonbearers took part, with strong public engagement and sustained national media coverage reflecting Samoa’s pride in contributing to the journey towards Glasgow 2026.
