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See also  Australia's Commonwealth Games Medal Records

The Commonwealth Games are held every four years with competitors coming from the nations of the British Commonwealth. Australian competed in all 16 Games and played host four times: Sydney 1938, Perth 1962, Brisbane 1982 and Melbourne 2006. Delhi, India will play host to the Games in 2010.

Australia - Medals Champion of the Games

In the 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and the 2006 Games, Australia had the most gold medals and the most medals overall. If you add up all the medals won since the 1930 Game, Australia has won a total of 1894 medals. England comes in second with 1692 and with 1314 medals Canada is third.

Over the years the Australian teams have grown. While there were only 11 Australian athletes competing in 1930, the total number from all countries that year was only 400.

By 2002 a record 515 athletes represented Australia at the Games and the total number of athletes from all countries had grown to approximately 3690.

This growth is reflected in the number of medals won. In the 1930 Games held in Canada, competing for the first time, our Australian Team won 8 medals. In the 2006 Games our medal count had risen to a total of 221, the highest in that competition. England came in second with 110 medals for 2006.

The Competition

The 50 Commonwealth member countries are divided into 67 nations for competition at the Games. Each Commonwealth Games must consist of a minimum of 10 sports and a maximum of 15 sports.

The currently required sports are:

The country hosting the Games completes it's sports program requirements by selecting from an approved list of sports:

* Elite Athletes with a Disability

The host country may also select one or more additional Team Sports.

History of the Commonwealth Games

Reverend J Astley Cooper is credited for the concept of a sporting contest amongst the nations of the British Commonwealth. In a 1891 magazine article, he suggested that a festival combining sporting, military and literary events would bring the British people throughout the world closer together.

Although a sporting contest was held in London in 1911, it wasn't until 1930 that the first Empire Games were held in Canada. Support at the games was very strong and a British Empire Games Federation was formed with the decision to hold the games every four years between the Olympic Games. The games have been renamed several times, finally becoming the Commonwealth Games in 1974.

More Information

1. Commonwealth Games
2. Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games
3. Australian Commonwealth Games Association
4. Commonwealth Games Federation
5. Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games

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