The Commonwealth Games are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exception of 1942 and 1946, have successively run every four years since. The Games were called the British Empire Games from 1930 to 1950, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games from 1954 to 1966, and British Commonwealth Games from 1970 to 1974. Athletes with a disability are included as full members of their national teams since 2002, making the Commonwealth Games the first fully inclusive international multi-sport event. In 2018, the Games became the first global multi-sport event to feature an equal number of men's and women's medal events and four years later they became the first global multi-sport event to have more events for women than men.
The 1930 British Empire Games were the inaugural edition of what now is known as the Commonwealth Games, and were held in Hamilton, Ontario, from 16 to 23 August 1930.
James Bruce Tomkins, is an Australian rower, seven-time World Champion and a three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is Australia's most awarded oarsman, having made appearances at six Olympic games ; eleven World Championships ; four Rowing World Cups and eighteen state representative King's Cup appearances – the Australian blue riband men's VIII event,. Tomkins is one of only five Australian athletes and four rowers worldwide to compete at six Olympics. From 1990 to 1998 he was the stroke of Australia's prominent world class crew – the coxless four known as the Oarsome Foursome.
Matthew John Cowdrey is an Australian politician and Paralympic swimmer. He presently holds numerous world records. He has a congenital amputation of his left arm; it stops just below the elbow. Cowdrey competed at the 2004 Paralympic Games, 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2008 Paralympic Games, 2010 Commonwealth Games, and the 2012 Paralympic Games. After the 2012 London Games, he is the most successful Australian Paralympian, having won thirteen Paralympic gold medals and twenty three Paralympic medals in total. On 10 February 2015, Cowdrey announced his retirement from swimming.
Australia competed at the 1950 British Empire Games held in Auckland, New Zealand between 4 and 11 February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the third edition of the games. Australia won medals in eleven out of the eleven sports that it entered.
Australia competed at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada from 30 July to 7 August 1954. It was Australia's fifth appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930.
Australia hosted the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, from 22 November to 1 December 1962. It was Australia's seventh appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930.
Australia competed at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, from 4 to 13 August 1966. It was Australia's eighth appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930.
Australia competed at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh Scotlandfrom 16 to 25 July 1970. It was Australia's ninth appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930.
Australia competed at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. It was Australia's tenth appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930.
Australia competed at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton Canada from 3 to 12 August 1978. It was Australia's eleventh appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930.
Australia hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane from 30 September to 9 October 1982. It was Australia's second time hosting the Games and twelfth appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930. Australia won medals in eleven of the eleven sports that it entered.
Australia participated at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland in 24 July and 2 August 1986.. It was Australia's thirteenth appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930. Australia won medals in eleven of the eleven sports that it entered
Sir Peter Heatly, was a Scottish diver and Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation. He competed in the 3 m springboard and 10 m platform at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics, at the 1950, 1954 and 1958 British Empire Games, and at the 1954 European Championships. He won five British Empire Games medals and one European medal, while his best Olympic result was fifth place in 1948. Heatly was knighted in 1990, before being inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, the Scottish Swimming Hall of Fame in 2010 and the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2016.
Eric Franciscus Maria Verdonk was a New Zealand rower who won bronze medals in the single sculls events at the 1988 Summer Olympics, 1986 Commonwealth Games, and 1990 World Rowing Championships.
Stuart Mackenzie was an Australian rower. He was an Australian champion and Olympic medalist, who also competed for Great Britain at the 1962 World Championships.
Francesca Jean Halsall is a retired English competitive swimmer who has represented Great Britain at the Olympics, FINA world championships, and European championships, and England at the Commonwealth Games. She competed primarily in freestyle and butterfly events.
Sir Donald David Rowlands was a New Zealand rower and businessman.
Hamish Bryon Bond is a retired New Zealand rower and former road cyclist. He is a three-time Olympic gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympic Games, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, and at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. He won six consecutive World Rowing Championships gold medals in the coxless pair and set the current world best times in both the coxless and coxed pair. He made a successful transition from rowing to road cycling after the 2016 Summer Olympics focussing on the road time trial. He returned to rowing for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, winning a gold medal in the men's eight.
Georgia Beth Davies is a British competition swimmer who has represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games and European championships, and swam for Wales in the Commonwealth Games. She has won gold in the Commonwealth Games and European Championships. She currently represents Energy Standard in the International Swimming League.
