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26 May 2026  4 min read

England athletes take part in major Commonwealth moment

Fresh from qualifying for Glasgow 2026, the athletes carried Team England’s baton – designed by Cornish artist Bonnie Steward to highlight the different landscapes and parts of England – up the famous steps of St Paul’s in central London.

Team England’s baton was then blessed by the Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett of St Paul’s Cathedral and the Sheriff & Deputy Keith Bottomley of the City of London.

From there, Anderson, flanked by his teammates, as well as Birmingham 2022 gold medallist Orlan Jackman, England Men’s head coach Julius Joseph MBE and England Wheelchair Basketball athletes, Lucy Robinson and Jade Atkin, led the procession to Temple Bar, where a traditional carpet guard and pikemen ceremonially admitted the Baton into the City of London.

Continuing its journey, it then made its way to Paternoster Square, passing through a celebratory crowd of children from local charity and community clubs.

At Paternoster Square, the Baton took centre stage on a specially installed 3x3 basketball court, as part of Central London Alliance’s London Sports Festival, forming the focal point of a day of activity and engagement.

Following official speeches from Central London Alliance’s Tony Matharu (founder and chairman), the City of London’s Chris Hayward (policy chairman) and Team England’s John Steele (chair of the board), the space was opened to the public for a full programme of free running and wheelchair 3x3 basketball activities.

The event was part of the London Sports Festival in partnership with Blue Orchid Hospitality and organised by the Central London Alliance in collaboration with Team England and London 3x3 and with support from the City of London Corporation.

England 3x3 athletes with the King's Baton Cheridene Green, Ashley Hamilton, Jamell Anderson, Orlan Jackman and Shanice Beckford-Norton (left to right)

People are watching 3x3 basketball and supporting us

"It’s absolutely surreal," said Birmingham 2022 silver medallist Green.

"I’m really excited to be here, you know, we have a lot of support, people watching us, so it just feels great. And the weather is lovely so it’s really nice.

"It feels great to be seen because you know it means people are watching us, watching 3x3 basketball and just supporting us in general. So it’s really nice to just be acknowledged for our Commonwealth silver, and to have support going into the [Glasgow] games. It feels really supportive not just from our initial inner square of family, but also just from London and this whole situation."

England Men's and Women's 3x3 teams qualified for Glasgow 2026 on the 23 May after winning their respective finals at the Home Nations Qualifier at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester.

London 3x3 franchise owner and England 3x3 athlete Ashley Hamilton said the qualification tournament highlighted the talent range in 3x3 across the UK. 

"3x3 is a particularly new sport but even so, the amount of talent that was at hand across the home nations was phenomenal," said Hamilton.

"Any one of those teams, any one of those players could’ve potentially suited up for London 3x3. It’s just the opportunity to play at a professional level hasn’t always been there. That’s why my wife and I founded London 3x3, to kind of give that opportunity. But to have that tournament there, to be a part of it, to be competing, we definitely had to bring our A-game to qualify for the Commonwealth Games."

The 3x3 court in Paternoster Square in the heart of central London with ceremonial pikeman guards

Baton's decorated to celebrate culture across the Commonwealth

For this year’s edition of the Games, every Commonwealth nation and territory has received its own Baton to decorate and celebrate in a way that reflects its culture.

All 74 Batons will now reunite at the Glasgow Opening Ceremony, where the final Baton will be presented to His Majesty to declare the Games open.

The King’s Baton remained on display in Paternoster Square, offering members of the public a unique opportunity to take photographs with this iconic symbol, set against the backdrop of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Team England