Katherine teacher Rodney Gregg cannot wait to carry the Queen’s Baton next month to celebrate the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Queen's Baton Relay, is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games.

The baton carries a message from Queen Elizabeth II which is read at the opening of the games. 

The baton will travel from Alice Springs to Litchfield on March 1. 

Casuarina Street teacher Rodney Gregg has coached the NT track and field team since 1999. 

“I was nominated to be a baton bearer by the assistant principal of the school,” Mr Gregg said. 

“I was chosen because of my involvement with sports and education in the Katherine region for the past 20 years.”

Mr Gregg became the first ever male teacher at Casuarina Street Primary School in 1999. 

“It is an honour to be chosen, I am proud to be one of the few Territorians to carry the baton,” he said. 

“I feel really humbled. It will be a once in a lifetime experience for me. 

“I don’t plan on breaking any land speed records, I just want to enjoy the moment and be surrounded by my friends and family,” Mr Gregg said. 

Mr Gregg said he will have to follow “some pretty strict rules” during his leg of the relay. 

“Once I have it, I am not allowed to let it go. I will have a team of up to eight security running alongside me or on bikes. 

“I will be making sure my family is close by so I can try to lean over and get a photo with them. 

“I am sad the relay is not coming through Katherine, I would have loved to run down the main street with the baton.”

Brianna Bell, MaryAnn Frogley and Wendy Robinson from Katherine will also be bearing the Queen’s Baton on behalf of the Katherine community. 

The baton began its relay at Buckingham Palace on March 13 in 2017 ahead of the 21st games to be held on the Gold Coast this April.

So far it has visited 70 nations and territories spanning 230,000 kilometres across 388 days of travel.