Commonwealth Games facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Commonwealth Games |
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The Commonwealth Games is a major international sports competition held every four years. Athletes from all across the Commonwealth of Nations come together to compete in many exciting sports. Because of its cheerful atmosphere and focus on friendship between countries, the event is often called the Friendly Games.
The competition first took place in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930. At that time, it was known as the British Empire Games. Over the decades, the tournament changed names as the British Empire transformed into a voluntary association of independent nations known as the Commonwealth of Nations. It became the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, the British Commonwealth Games in 1970, and finally adopted its modern name, the Commonwealth Games, in 1978.
Today, the Games are managed by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), also known as Commonwealth Sport. The event is famous for its fairness and inclusion. Para-athletes with physical disabilities compete as full team members alongside non-disabled athletes, with their medals counting toward the overall team score. In 2018, the event became the first major global sports festival to offer an equal number of medal events for female and male competitors. Alongside popular Olympic sports like athletics and swimming, the tournament includes sports popular across the Commonwealth, such as netball, lawn bowls, and squash.
Contents
History and Origins of the Friendly Games
Early Vision and the First Event
The idea of a sporting contest connecting countries tied to Britain began in 1891. An English writer named John Astley Cooper proposed a grand festival to promote goodwill and healthy competition. His idea inspired sports leaders around the world, including Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games.
In 1911, an Inter-Empire Championship took place at The Crystal Palace in London during the Festival of Empire to celebrate the coronation of King George V. Teams from Australasia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom competed in track and field, boxing, swimming, and wrestling. Canada won the championship trophy, a giant silver cup standing 2 feet 6 inches (76 cm) tall.
The modern version of the Games became reality thanks to a Canadian sports journalist named Melville Marks Robinson. While attending the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Robinson convinced officials to create an official Empire Games. He organised the first official tournament in Hamilton, Canada, in August 1930.
The British Empire Games Era (1930–1950)
The 1930 British Empire Games welcomed 400 athletes from 11 teams: Australia, Bermuda, British Guiana, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. Competitors took part in six sports: athletics, boxing, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming and diving, and wrestling. Canadian athlete Gordon Smallacombe earned the very first gold medal in Games history by winning the triple jump.
The 1934 British Empire Games took place in London, England. London stepped in to host after concerns arose about fair treatment for athletes of all racial backgrounds in South Africa. Sixteen teams took part, including new participants such as Hong Kong, India, and Jamaica.
The third edition, the 1938 British Empire Games, took place in Sydney, Australia. It was the first time the Games were hosted in the Southern Hemisphere. Over 40,000 spectators gathered at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the opening ceremony. The Games were scheduled to take place in Montreal in 1942 and Cardiff in 1946, but both events were cancelled due to World War II.
The competition resumed with the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand. Twelve nations sent 590 athletes, and nearly a quarter of a million spectators watched the events live.
Growth as the Empire and Commonwealth Games (1954–1966)
In 1954, the competition changed its name to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games to reflect the growing independence of member nations. The 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Vancouver, Canada. This tournament featured the legendary "Miracle Mile" race. In the one-mile run, both Roger Bannister of England and John Landy of Australia finished in under four minutes, a historic sporting milestone watched live on television by millions.
The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff introduced the Queen's Baton Relay, which has remained an essential opening tradition ever since. Over 1,100 athletes from 35 nations participated, with Singapore, Ghana, and Kenya winning their first medals.
The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games took place in Perth, Australia. In 1966, the event travelled to Kingston, Jamaica, marking the first time the Games were hosted outside of the UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
Transition to the Modern Commonwealth Games (1970–1998)
The 1970 British Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland. This edition introduced the metric system for measuring distances instead of imperial units. Queen Elizabeth II attended the event for the very first time as Head of the Commonwealth.
In 1974, Christchurch, New Zealand, hosted the tenth Games. This edition was officially nicknamed "The Friendly Games" and was the first to use an official theme song, titled "Join Together".
The modern name, the Commonwealth Games, was officially adopted for the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada. The 1982 Games in Brisbane, Australia, set a new record with over 1,500 athletes competing. The 1986 Games returned to Edinburgh, followed by the 1990 Games in Auckland, New Zealand.
The 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, marked the debut of para-sports events within the main athletics and lawn bowls programs. In 1998, the Games moved to Asia for the first time, hosted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur introduced popular team sports to the schedule, including cricket, rugby sevens, netball, and field hockey.
The Games in the Twenty-First Century
The twenty-first century brought further expansion and technological advancements:
- Manchester 2002 (England): Featured 281 events across 17 sports and fully integrated para-sport medal events into the main standings.
- Melbourne 2006 (Australia): The Baton Relay travelled over 180,000 kilometres (110,000 mi), visiting every single Commonwealth nation and territory.
- Delhi 2010 (India): The first time a Commonwealth republic hosted the Games, welcoming over 6,000 athletes to compete in 21 sports.
- Glasgow 2014 (Scotland): Over 4,900 competitors participated in 18 sports, drawing large global audiences.
- Gold Coast 2018 (Australia): Made history as the first major global multi-sport event to feature complete gender equality in medal events.
- Birmingham 2022 (England): Featured more medal events for women than men for the first time, with over 5,000 athletes competing.
- Glasgow 2026 (Scotland): Glasgow hosted an efficient, streamlined edition featuring 10 core sports across existing venues.
- Ahmedabad 2030 (India): Set to celebrate the official 100-year centenary of the Commonwealth Games.
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Associated Sporting Events and Inclusion
Commonwealth Paraplegic Games
Between 1962 and 1974, the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games ran alongside the main competition. These games were held in the same host country and provided international competition for athletes with spinal injuries or mobility conditions.
The event took place in Perth (1962), Kingston (1966), Edinburgh (1970), and Christchurch (1974). Six teams competed in all four editions: Australia, England, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Complete Para-Sport Integration
Starting at the 1994 Games in Victoria, exhibition events for athletes with disabilities were introduced. By the 2002 Games in Manchester, para-sport events became fully integrated into the official schedule.
This made the Commonwealth Games the first fully inclusive international multi-sport championship in the world. Para-athletes are complete members of their national teams, and their medals are officially included in the final medal tables. The Commonwealth Games Federation cooperates directly with the International Paralympic Committee to oversee the rules and standards for all para-sport disciplines.
Commonwealth Youth Games
The Commonwealth Youth Games began in 2000 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Designed for young athletes aged 14 to 18, the Youth Games are held every four years. They offer young sporting talents an opportunity to experience international competition, build friendships, and prepare for future senior championships.
Commonwealth Winter Games
Four editions of the Commonwealth Winter Games took place between 1958 and 1970 to complement the summer sports program. The resort town of St. Moritz, Switzerland, hosted three of these winter events (1958, 1962, and 1966), while the final edition took place in 1970 before the event was discontinued.
How the Commonwealth Games Movement Operates
The Commonwealth Games Federation
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The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the governing body responsible for overseeing the Games, setting rules, and choosing future host cities. Its international headquarters are located at Commonwealth House in London, England.
The Commonwealth Games organization relies on three main groups:
- International Federations (IFs): Global governing bodies for each individual sport (such as World Athletics for track and field or World Aquatics for swimming) that enforce official rules.
- Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs): National organisations within each country or territory responsible for selecting athletes and managing their teams, similar to a National Olympic Committee.
- Organising Committees (OCCWGs): Local temporary planning groups set up in the host city to run venues, ticketing, and operations during a specific Games.
The King's Baton Relay
The King's Baton Relay is a journey around the world leading up to the Games, similar to the Olympic Torch Relay. The baton carries a written message from the Head of the Commonwealth.
The relay traditionally begins at Buckingham Palace in London on Commonwealth Day. The monarch entrusts the baton to the first runner. The baton then travels through Commonwealth nations and territories across Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and Oceania.
At the opening ceremony, the final runner carries the baton into the stadium and hands it to the monarch or their official representative. The message is read aloud to officially open the competition.
Ceremonies and Anthems
Each Games features colourful ceremonies celebrating culture and sportsmanship:
- Opening Ceremony: Features music, dance, theatrical performances, and the Parade of Nations. Athletes enter the stadium behind their flags, led by the previous host nation.
- Medal Ceremonies: Medallists stand on a three-tier podium to receive gold, silver, or bronze medals. The national flag of the winning athlete is raised while their victory anthem plays.
- Closing Ceremony: Athletes enter the stadium together as one group, celebrating international friendship. The CGF flag is passed to the mayor of the next host city.
- The David Dixon Award: Presented at each closing ceremony since 2002 to the single athlete who displayed outstanding skill, sportsmanship, and leadership during the Games.
Because England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland compete as separate teams, distinct anthems are used during victory ceremonies. For example, England plays "Jerusalem", Scotland plays "Flower of Scotland", and Wales plays "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau".
Commonwealth Sports Program
The sports program of the Commonwealth Games is flexible to suit the venues and culture of each host city. The schedule includes a mix of compulsory core sports and optional sports. Team sports were added in 1998, and sports must offer fair opportunities for both men and women.
Core Sports
- Athletics and Para-Athletics (track, field, and marathon)
- Swimming and Para-Swimming
Popular Optional and Multi-Discipline Sports
- Archery
- Badminton
- Basketball and 3x3 Basketball
- Boxing
- Cricket (T20 format)
- Cycling (Track, Road, Mountain Bike, and Para-Track)
- Diving
- Gymnastics (Artistic and Rhythmic)
- Field Hockey
- Judo
- Lawn Bowls and Para-Lawn Bowls
- Netball
- Powerlifting (Para-Sport)
- Rugby Sevens
- Shooting
- Squash
- Table Tennis and Para-Table Tennis
- Triathlon
- Volleyball (Beach)
- Weightlifting
- Wrestling (Freestyle)
Participating Teams and Territories
Although there are 56 sovereign nations in the Commonwealth of Nations, 74 separate teams participate in the Games. This allows several dependent territories, island groups, and the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) to compete independently under their own flags.
Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games since 1930:
All-Time Medal Table and Top Leaders
| Rank | CGA | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Australia |
1,071 | 879 | 823 | 2,773 |
| 2 |  England |
802 | 828 | 802 | 2,432 |
| 3 |  Canada |
529 | 568 | 612 | 1,709 |
| 4 |  India |
215 | 207 | 180 | 602 |
| 5 |  New Zealand |
189 | 246 | 308 | 743 |
| 6 |  Scotland |
145 | 152 | 244 | 541 |
| 7 |  South Africa |
144 | 143 | 157 | 444 |
| 8 |  Kenya |
94 | 84 | 92 | 270 |
| 9 |  Nigeria |
92 | 91 | 112 | 295 |
| 10 |  Wales |
84 | 114 | 167 | 365 |
| 11 |  Jamaica |
75 | 57 | 63 | 195 |
| 12 |  Malaysia |
74 | 76 | 94 | 244 |
| 13 |  Northern Ireland |
40 | 50 | 68 | 158 |
| 14 |  Singapore |
40 | 33 | 36 | 109 |
| 15 |  Pakistan |
27 | 27 | 29 | 83 |
| 16 |  Cyprus |
26 | 21 | 29 | 76 |
| 17 |  Uganda |
19 | 18 | 26 | 63 |
| 18 |  Ghana |
15 | 21 | 29 | 65 |
| 19 |  Trinidad and Tobago |
13 | 26 | 30 | 69 |
| 20 |  Bahamas |
12 | 14 | 14 | 40 |
| 21 |  Cameroon |
12 | 13 | 20 | 45 |
| 22 |  Nauru |
10 | 11 | 12 | 33 |
| Totals (22 entries) | 3,728 | 3,679 | 3,947 | 11,354 | |
Most Successful Nations by Year
Australia has topped the medal table at 14 Games, England has finished first at seven editions, and Canada topped the table in 1978.
Inspiring Athletes in Games History
- Ian Thorpe (Australia): Famous swimmer who won 10 Commonwealth Games gold medals between 1998 and 2002.
- Chad le Clos (South Africa): One of the most decorated swimmers in Games history, earning 18 total medals across four tournaments.
- Marcus Stephen (Nauru): Weightlifter who won 12 medals (including seven golds) for the small island nation of Nauru, later serving as President of his country.
- David Calvert (Northern Ireland): Set an extraordinary longevity record by competing in shooting events across 11 different Commonwealth Games.
- Willie Wood (Scotland): Dedicated lawn bowler who competed in seven consecutive Commonwealth Games from 1974 to 2002.
- Usain Bolt (Jamaica): The world-record sprinter won gold at Glasgow 2014, helping Jamaica set a Games record in the 4×100 metres relay.
See also
In Spanish: Juegos de la Mancomunidad para niños
- Commonwealth Youth Games
- Commonwealth of Nations
- Olympic Games
- Paralympic Games
