COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist badminton player Rebecca Pantaney arrived in the Falkland Islands on Thursday July 19, complete with an Olympic torch.

Left: Rebecca in the UK carrying the torch

Rebecca is visiting in order to provide coaching to Falklands' children and the Badminton Club and as an official torch carrier offered to bring it with her. Falklands badminton coach Doug Clark said Rebecca would take the torch to Stanley schools, the Olympic Spirit event on July 28, a farm and if permission was obtained, to Volunteer Point to be photographed with King Penguins.

Rebecca is an ex England badminton player. She currently plays professionally in France. In contrast with Argentine policy the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office have asked the torch not be paraded through the streets or past war memorials as they only wish for it to be associated with sport and not politics.