From the concept of "a British Empire Sports Festival" by the Englishman, J Astley Cooper, the idea was promoted in Australia by B J Parkinson in
Victoria and
Richard Coombes in
New South Wales who was President of the
Amateur Athletic Union of Australia.
Australia has won the medal tally at 13 Commonwealth games. Australia first competed at the Games, then titled the
British Empire Games, in 1930; and is one of only six countries to have sent athletes to every Commonwealth Games. The others are
Canada,
England,
New Zealand,
Scotland, and
Wales. Six of the 21 games have been hosted by Australia, with the city of
Gold Coast hosting the
2018 Commonwealth Games. Australia has placed first at 13 out of the 21 games (compared with England 7 and Canada 1) and has been in the top three for all meets except the first games in 1930. In all but one of the 18 Commonwealth Games held so far (excluding the 1978 Games), the Australian flag bearer has gone on to win a gold medal.
Games Staged Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games on four occasions but have only won once via an international vote. That vote was for the host of the 2018 games, won by the Gold Coast. Sydney 1938 was simply awarded. Perth 1962 was a contest between
Adelaide and Perth which Adelaide originally won at the
1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Adelaide first won 13 votes to Perth's 3. Two years later that was overturned by the Australian Commonwealth Games Association prior to the 1958 British Empire Games in
Cardiff, Wales. A New Vote awarded Perth with a 9 to 7 vote. Brisbane 1982 was awarded after
Lagos, Nigeria;
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and
Birmingham, England all withdrew prior to the Bid vote that took place in
Montreal, Quebec, Canada during the 1976 Summer Olympics. Melbourne 2006 was awarded to the city after
Wellington, New Zealand withdrew their bid prior to the Bid Lodgement Deadline.
Failed bid Results ==See also==