Wolverhampton gymnast star Kristian Thomas kicks off Commonwealth Games countdown
Gymnastics star Kristian Thomas proudly held the Queen's Baton aloft as the countdown to the Commonwealth Games reached the West Midlands.
Officials in Birmingham are hoping the baton will be passed onto the city - which is bidding to host the Games after Australia in 2022.
The baton - which is the equivalent of the Olympic Torch - was in Birmingham to mark its bid to be in next in line for the prestigious competition.
Wolverhampton's Kristian Thomas, an Olympic bronze medallist and Commonwealth champion, who trains in Halesowen, posed in front of the Bullring shopping centre with the baton and was among other stars who appeared in the city for the event, which came on the same weekend when Sir Mo Farah ran for the last time on the track in Britain at Birmingham's Alexandra Stadium.
Great Britain's men's 4x100 metre relay team also got their hands on the baton, fresh from their gold medal heroics at the Athletics World Championships in London.
The baton visited other landmarks including Birmingham Library, Edgbaston cricket ground and Brindley Place
Birmingham is going head to head with Liverpool for the right to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022. It will be held in Gold Coast, Australia, next year.
If the bid is successful, part of the Black Country would be involved in hosting the competition.
Swimming and diving events would be held at a new aquatics centre to be built in Smethwick. The successful UK city to be put forward to host the Games is expected to be announced next month.
Officials in Birmingham are confident the city is best prepared to hold the competitions, with the Alexandra Stadium and the Barclaycard Arena - set to be renamed Arena Birmingham - among venues lined up to stage events.
The baton arrived in the country by military aeroplane from the Falkland Islands last Wednesday. It was parachuted into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire where it began its tour of the country.
