The first Australian Team in 1930 in Hamilton,
Canada had 11 in the team - 1994 Team had 332, 1998
Team had 439, 2002 Team had 515, the 2006 Team had
615, and the 2010 had 585.
The first Australian Team in 1930 won 8 medals in
comparison to England with 61. Our 2010 Team won,
in total, 178 medals ahead of England which was second
with 142.
1938 Team in Sydney was outfitted by a Sydney Department
store, Farmers, with a jumper, a tie, a pair of shorts,
and a singlet - 2010 Team had a Blazer, two shirts/blouses,
trousers/skirt, shoes, belt, tie/scarf, carry bag,
sports bag, tracksuit, competition gear, training
gear, village gear.
1930 Team left Sydney on 26 June on R.M.S. "Aorangi"
and arrived 23 July in Hamilton - 1994 Team left Sydney
by chartered Qantas Jumbo 747 on 11 August and arrived
in Canada on 10 August. In 2002 the flight from Sydney
to Manchester took over 24 hours. Travel to Delhi
by commercial flight was around 16 hours with one
stop in Singapore.
The 1930 Games cost 20,000 Pounds to stage - the 2006
Games in Melbourne is estimated to cost approx. $500m
to organise not including the construction cost of
facilities. The cost of the 2010 Games is still being
determined.
There were 6 sports in 1930 and 1934, 7 sports in
1938, 9 sports from 1954 to 1974, 10 sports from 1978
to 1994 and in 1998 there were 15 sports. In 2006
there was 17 while in 2010 there were 18.
Each Commonwealth Games must include a minimum of
10 core sports on the Games Sports Programme; Aquatics-Swimming,
Athletics, Badminton, Boxing (Men only), Hockey, Lawn
Bowls, Netball (Women only), Rugby 7s (Men only),
Squash and Weightlifting.
In addition up to 7 sports can be
added to the Sports Program chosen from a list of
optional sports/disciplines; Archery, Aquatics-Diving,
Aquatics-Synchronised Swimming, Basketball, Beach
Volleyball, Canoeing, Cycling-Road, Cycling-Mountain
Bike, Cycling-Track, Gymnastics-Artistic, Gymnastic-Rhythmic,
Judo, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting-Clay Target, Shooting-Pistol,
Shooting-Small Bore, Shooting-Full Bore, Softball,
Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Tenpin Bowling, Triathlon
and Wrestling with a maximum of 4 team sports on their
Programme.
Also on the Games Sports Program
are up to 15 events for Para-Sport athletes. Such
events come from four core Para-Sports – Athletics,
Lawn Bowls, Powerlifting, and Swimming, and from up
to three optional Para-Sports – Cycling (Track),
Table Tennis and Wheelchair Basketball.
Boxing is the only sport other than Athletics and
Swimming which has been on every Games program.
Prior to 1998 there had only been individual sports
on the program. In 1998 there were four team sports,
Cricket, Hockey, Netball, and Rugby 7s. In 2006 there
was four with the inclusion of Basketball and in Delhi
there were three – Hockey, Netball and Rugby
7s.
In 1930 there were 400 athletes in the Games, in 1954
there were 664, in 1970 there were 1383, and in 1990
there were 2073, in 1998 there were over 3638, in
2002 there were approx 3690, in 2006 there were 4040
and in 2010 there were 4352.
Total size of all teams (athletes and officials) in
1998 was 5068, in 2002 was 5474, in 2006 there was
5770, and in 2010 there were 6572.
Australia has held the Games four times; 1938 in Sydney,
1962 in Perth, 1982 in Brisbane and in 2006 Melbourne.
It will also hold the Games in Gold Coast which will
be the fifth time which is more than any other nation.
Since World War II at the Commonwealth Games, Australian
athletes won 80 medals in Auckland in 1950, 105 medals
in Perth in 1962, 107 medals in Brisbane in 1982,
120 medals in Edinburgh in 1986, 162 medals in Auckland
in 1990, 187 medals in Victoria in 1994, 198 medals
in KL in 1998, 207 in Manchester in 2002 and 221 in
Melbourne in 2006. In Delhi Australian athletes won
178 medals.
Australia is the undisputed sports champion of the
Commonwealth. In the overall medal count it is Australia
with 2080 medals, England second with 1836, and Canada
third with 1391.
Income to prepare and send the Teams to the Games
come from marketing and fundraising with State Governments
supporting the various State Appeals.
There are 71 countries in the Commonwealth Games which
include some of the world's largest populations (ie
India with an estimated 1 billion plus people) and
some of the world's smallest populations, (ie St Helena
with an estimated 4000 persons).
|