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Commonwealth Games: Origin and history

The recently held Commonwealth Games in Melbourne was a significant one for Sri Lanka. After nearly two decades, Sri Lanka was able to clinch a gold medal. Today, we will have a close look at the Commonwealth Games, the origin, development and some interesting facts about the event.

The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event held every four years, involving the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. The first such event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in 1930. Like the Olympic sports, the Games also include some sports that are played mainly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls, rugby sevens and netball. There are currently 53 Commonwealth nations and 71 participating teams.

Attendance at the Commonwealth Games is typically around 5,000 athletes, which makes it one of the largest international sporting events in terms of participants.

The four constituent countries of the United Kingdom-England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland-send separate teams to the Commonwealth Games, and individual teams are also sent from the British Crown Dependencies-Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man-and many of the British overseas territories.

Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales.

A sporting competition bringing together the members of the British Empire was first proposed by Reverend Astley Cooper in 1891, when he wrote an article in The Times suggesting a "Pan-Britannic-Pan-Anglican Contest and Festival, every four years, as a means of increasing the goodwill and good understanding of the British Empire".

In 1911, the Festival of the Empire was held in London to celebrate the coronation of King George V. As part of the festival, an Inter-Empire Championships was held, in which teams from Australia, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom competed in events such as boxing, wrestling, swimming and athletics.

In 1928, Melville Marks (Bobby) Robinson of Canada was asked to organise the first British Empire Games. These were held in Hamilton, Ontario two years later.

Interesting Facts

* The first Commonwealth Games (then known as the British Empire Games) were held in 1930 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Bobby Robinson, a major influence within Athletics in Canada at the time, finally implemented what had been talked about amongst Commonwealth nations for over 30 years.

* Eleven nations with a total of 400 athletes participated in the first Commonwealth Games.

* The Games have been conducted every four years except in 1942 and 1946, due to World War II (1939-1945).

* The Commonwealth is a unique family of developed and developing nations, a voluntary association of independent sovereign states spread over every continent and ocean. From Africa to Asia, from the Pacific shores to the Caribbean, the Commonwealth's 1.7 billion people make up almost one third of the world's population.

* From 1930 to 1950 the Games were known as the British Empire Games, then, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, from 1954 until 1962. From 1966 to 1974 they took on the title of British Commonwealth Games and from 1978 onwards they have been known as simply the Commonwealth Games.

* The Commonwealth Games is open to eligible competitors of the Commonwealth Games Association of all Commonwealth nations, colonies and dependent or associated territories of a Commonwealth nation.

* The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth and patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation; the Queen's Baton Relay is one of the great traditions of the Commonwealth Games.

It signifies a call to the Commonwealth athletes to come together to celebrate the Games. It also carries the Queen's message to be read at the opening of the Games.

* Commonwealth nations include some of the largest populations on earth - such as India, with a population of 1.01 billion - and some of the world's smallest populations such as St Helena, a 308 sq km Island in the Atlantic, with a population of 7000.

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Sri Lankan medal history at the Games

* 1938 - British Empire Games

Boxing-Mens Feather Weight Division (57kg)

Ansdale William Henricus won the Gold medal.

* 1950 - British Empire Games

1. Mens 440 yard

Gold medal won by Duncan M. White

2. Boxing - Mens Bantam Weight Division

A. Perera won the Silver medal.

3. Mens Flyweight Division (51kg)

K. Edwin won the Silver medal

* 1994 - Commonwealth Games

1. Shooting - Women's Air Rifle

K. Wickramasinghe won the Silver medal.

2. Shooting - Women's Air Rifle(team)

K. Wickramasinghe and Pushpamali Ramanayaka won the Gold medal.

* 1998 - Commonwealth Games

1. Women's 100 m

Sriyani Kulawansa won the Silver medal.

2. Men's 400 m

Sugath Thilakaratne won the Bronze medal.

* 2006 - Commonwealth Games

1. Weight Lifting

Chintana Vidanage won the Gold medal.

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