Dec 222022
1958 Commonwealth Games – Cardiff, Wales
Opening Ceremony … 18 July 1958Host City … Cardiff, WalesClosing Ceremony … 26 July 1958
Participants … 1,130 athletes, 36 Commonwealth Nations
1958 Games   1958 Medals …This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-g-sm.gifGoldThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-s-sm-2.gifSilverThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-b-sm-2.gifBronzeGames Main Page

The 1958 Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, Wales from 18 July to 22 July 1958. It was originally supposed to be held in Nairobi as part of a “British Empire Games Federation”, but following protests from Canada and Australia, who wanted the games for themselves, it was decided that it would be best held in London instead.

THE 1958 GAMES WAS the largest sporting event ever held in Wales.

Australian Dawn Fraser won 2 gold and 2 silver medals in swimming events at the 1958 Games. She won 4 more gold at the 1962 Perth Games.

Dawn was beaten for gold in the 440 yards freestyle by Ilsa Konrads, a young 14 year old fellow Aussie. Her brother John Konrads also won gold for Australia in the 440 and the 1660 yard Men’s freestyle. Over their career, Ilsa set 12 world freestyle records and John set 25.

The 1958 Games saw the beginning of a 19 year old Aussie, Herb Elliot’s collection of gold. He won the 880 yards and mile running gold medals. Elliot, from Western Australia, set a Games record of 1:49.3 in the 880. He went on to become an Olympic gold medallist.

Australian Tony Madigan, competing in the light-welterweight boxing event, won gold at the Games. Two years later at the 1960 Rome Olympics he would face American Cassius Clay and lose, ending up with bronze. This was the beginning of the boxing career of the world’s most famous boxer, Mohamed Ali (Cassius Clay).

This was the last Games to see the South African team entered. They had been to every Games since the first, winning 60 gold medals, but always entered an all-white team. Facing pressure from other countries, in 1961 South Africa declared itself a republic and withdrew from the Commonwealth.

The 1958 Games logo is the red dragon of Wales resting upon the emblem of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation. The emblem was so popular that it eventually became the central theme of Cardiff’s main streets decoration.

Top 23 Countries By Total Medals

Dual bronzes awarded in boxing. Host country listed in bold. 

CountryThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-g-sm.gifThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-s-sm-2.gifThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-b-sm-2.gifTotal
1England29222980
2Australia27221766
3South Africa1310831
4Canada1101627
5New Zealand46919
6Scotland55313
7Wales13711
8Pakistan35210
9Jamaica4217
10Northern Ireland1135
11India2103
12Rhodesia0033
CountryThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-g-sm.gifThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-s-sm-2.gifThis image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is medal-b-sm-2.gifTotal
13Singapore2002
14Bahamas1102
15Barbados1102
16Malaya0202
17Nigeria0112
18Kenya0022
19British Guiana0101
20Uganda0101
21Ghana0011
22Isle of Man0011
23Trinidad & Tobago0011

Participating Teams

Countries returning to the games were: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, British Guiana, Canada, Ceylon, England, Fiji,  Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Northern Rhodesia, Pakistan, Rhodesia, Scotland, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, Wales.

Competing for the first time were: Brunei, Dominica, Ghana, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malaya, Malta, North Borneo, Penang, Sarawak, Singapore, St Vincent.


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