At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the athletics events were held in Melbourne, Australia from 19 March to 25 March 2006. A total of 47 events were contested, of which 24 by male and 23 by female athletes. Furthermore, three men's and three women's disability events were held within the programme. All athletics events took place within the Melbourne Cricket Ground, while the marathon and racewalking events took place on the streets of Melbourne and finished at the main stadium.
Giaan Leigh Rooney, OAM is an Australian former competitive swimmer and television personality. As a member of the Australian team in women's 4×100-metre medley relay, she won an Olympic gold medal and broke a world record at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Rooney is currently an Australian television presenter.
Leisel Marie Jones, OAM is an Australian former competition swimmer and Olympic gold medallist. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold-medal-winning Australian team in the women's 4×100-metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold medallist for 100-metre breaststroke in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Jessicah Lee Schipper, OAM is an Australian former competition swimmer. She trained at the Redcliffe Leagues Lawnton club in Brisbane, under veteran coach Ken Wood up until the conclusion of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Schipper then trained under the guidance of Stephan Widmar with the Commercial Swimming Club. She was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in January 2005 for her services to swimming.
The Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland announced on 3 November 2005 that Scotland would be sending 166 athletes to compete in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, supported by 70 officials. This is a smaller team than the country fielded at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, when Scotland sent 207 athletes and 85 officials, winning 6 Gold, 8 Silver and 16 Bronze medals.
New Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia was represented by 249 athletes competing in over 19 disciplines, with 119 officials. This was the largest team that New Zealand had ever sent to a Commonwealth Games.
England at the 2006 Commonwealth Games were represented by the Commonwealth Games Council for England (CGCE). The country went by the abbreviation ENG and used the St George's Cross as flag and Land of Hope and Glory as the national anthem.
The British Crown dependency of Jersey was represented in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne by a 35-member contingent, comprising 35 sportspersons and no officials. They competed in 7 sports, including athletics, badminton, cycling, lawn bowls, shooting, swimming, and triathlon. They won no medals.
The squad to represent Wales at the 2006 Commonwealth Games was announced by the Commonwealth Games Council for Wales (CGCW) on 22 February 2006. It consisted of 143 athletes competing across 14 sports; 85 fewer than the squad in 2002. The team was not able to improve on their medal tally from the 2002 Commonwealth Games when Wales won 6 Gold, 13 Silver and 12 Bronze medals. The team was captained by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson.
Jamaica was represented at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The Seychelles was represented at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne by a 32-member strong contingent comprising 22 sportspersons and 10 officials. The 2006 event was the fifth time the nation has entered the Commonwealth Games, previously having won three medals – two silver and one bronze. The Seychelles team competed in seven of the 16 sporting disciplines at the Games, including athletics, boxing, weightlifting, badminton, table tennis, swimming and cycling. Reigning Seychelles Sportslady of the Year, javelin specialist Lindy Leveau-Agricole was chosen to be the team's flag bearer during the opening ceremony.
Moss James Burmester is a New Zealand swimmer and diver. His specialist event is the 200m butterfly in which he holds the Commonwealth record of 1:54.35 set at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Australia has won 13 Commonwealth games.
Australia hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Queensland and their team was abbreviated AUS.
Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor is a Nigerian track and field athlete who specializes in long jumping and short sprints. She is an Olympic and World Championships medalist in the long jump, and a world medalist in the 200 metres. She also holds the Women's 100 metres Commonwealth Games record for the fastest time at 10.85 seconds.
Athletics is a popular sport in Australia, with around 34,000 athletes, officials and coaches currently registered with the national association.
New Zealand had a team of 224 competitors and 61 officials to the 1990 Commonwealth Games, which were held in Auckland, New Zealand. The games were part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations.
Hilton Langenhoven is a South African athlete and three time Paralympic Champion, competing mainly in category F12 long jump events. He was born in Somerset West, Western Cape.
Elizabeth "Lisa" McIntosh, OAM is an Australian Paralympian athlete with cerebral palsy, who competes mainly in sprint events.
Canada took part at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane (Australia). With a total of 82 medals, Canada ranked third on the medal tally.
