1974 British Commonwealth Games

10th British Commonwealth Games
Host city Christchurch, New Zealand
Nations participating 38
Athletes participating 1276
Events 121 events in 10 sports
Opening ceremony 24 January
Closing ceremony 2 February
Officially opened by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Queen's Baton Final Runner Sylvia Potts
Main venue QEII Park
<  IX XI  >

The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games. The Games were officially named "the friendly games". There were 1,276 competitors and 372 officials, according to the official history, and public attendance was excellent. The main venue was the QEII Park, purpose built for this event. The Athletics Stadium and fully covered Olympic standard pool, diving tank, and practice pools were all on the one site. The theme song was "Join Together", sung by Steve Allen. QEII Park was severely damaged beyond repair by the devastating earthquake that destroyed parts of the city on 22 February 2011.

1974 Commonwealth Games Bidding Results
City Round 1
New Zealand Christchurch 36
Australia Melbourne 2

Participating teams

Participating countries

38 teams were represented at the 1974 Games.
(Teams competing for the first time are shown in bold).

Security

The Games were the first large international athletic event after the murder of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The Athletes Village, the Student accommodation of the University of Canterbury, was temporarily fenced in and guarded for the duration of the games. Only official vehicles and persons were allowed into sensitive areas around the venues.

Logo

The logo was the second (after Edinburgh) to be protected and trademarked,[1] and set a design benchmark which was echoed in the logos of the next five games.

In recent years the logo has been regarded as one of New Zealand's iconic symbols, being reproduced on clothing and elsewhere.[2][3]

Television

The Games were also an important milestone in New Zealand television, marking the introduction of colour television. However, due to the NZBC's limited colour facilities, only athletics, swimming, and boxing could be broadcast in colour.

Meanwhile, paralleling the Television coverage, the National Film Unit produced Games '74, a fine feature-length documentary of the Christchurch games (and the many events) in full colour. This has since been restored and is available on DVD.

Royal family

The Games were the last time that the entire immediate British Royal Family (Elizabeth II, her husband and children) visited New Zealand as a group. The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal residence during the games.

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony was held in the mid afternoon, with Prince Philip as the attending royal. A fanfare announced the guard of honour by the New Zealand Defence Forces, inspected by Prince Philip. This was followed by the raising of flags of the past, present, and future hosts. God Save the Queen was sung. The field was then invaded by 2500 school children in red, white and blue rain slicks all forming in the centre to create the NZ74 symbol. A Māori concert group then performed action songs and a haka, before the teams march past. The athletes then took the oath and Sylvia Potts, the runner who fell mere meters from a gold medal finish in the 1970 Commonwealth Games, entered the stadium with the Queen's Baton. It was presented to Prince Philip who read the message from the Queen declaring the 1974 Christchurch 10th British Commonwealth Games open. The Commonwealth flag was then marched in and hauled up with a 21 gun salute.

Precedents set

While the opening ceremony was a regimented and very formal affair, the late afternoon closing ceremony was anything but. This set a precedent for other closing ceremonies since then. With the formalities out of the way, the handing over of the flag to representatives of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the athletes broke ranks and ran amok, much to the delight of the packed stadium and the Queen herself. A flypast of the then Red Checkers RNZAF display team brought the ceremony to a close as the Queen and Prince Philip did a lap of honour around the stadium and departed.

The youngest competitor at the games was New Zealander Rebecca Perrott, 12½; swimming for Fiji at the games, as her father was Registrar at the University of the South Pacific.[4]

Economic legacy aspects

Christchurch was (and still is) the smallest city to host the modern televised Commonwealth Games. This was the first games that tried using the "Olympic" look with a standard colour scheme for facilities, passes, flags, stationary, and above all uniforms (which wearers only borrowed, but could buy outright as a memento thus helping keep costs down).

This was also the first time that a city had asked the Games Federation to allow commercial advertising. This was voted down as the Federation feared that advertising by big corporations would remove focus away from the amateur ethos of the Games. As no commercial hoardings were allowed, Christchurch got around this with the use of "sponsorship", one example being General Motors providing a lease fleet of Holden HQ Kingswood sedans that would be sold off after the games. Air New Zealand allowed large NZ74 symbols to be placed on the fuselage sides of the airline's brand new McDonnell Douglas DC-10s, giving free advertising around the world. This in itself set a trend since with airlines vying to be "official airline" of a particular event.

Although the Games themselves were a success, making a then sizeable profit of $500,000, the "sponsorship" was nowhere near enough. The City of Christchurch was left with a financial facilities management debt (QEII Park) of what would be in today's (2008) amount of NZ$100million. This deterred the city from hosting major events until 1990 when the government stepped in with lotteries funding to clear the remaining debt. By then, Auckland's 1990 games were fully commercialised.

Medals by country

 Rank  Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  Australia 29 28 25 82
2  England 28 31 21 80
3  Canada 25 19 18 62
4  New Zealand 9 8 18 35
5  Kenya 7 2 9 18
6  India 4 8 3 15
7  Scotland 3 5 11 19
8  Nigeria 3 3 4 10
9  Northern Ireland 3 1 2 6
10  Uganda 2 4 3 9
11  Jamaica 2 1 0 3
12  Wales 1 5 4 10
13  Ghana 1 3 5 9
14  Zambia 1 1 1 3
15  Malaysia 1 0 3 4
16  Tanzania 1 0 1 2
17  Saint Vincent 1 0 0 1
18  Trinidad and Tobago 0 1 1 2
 Western Samoa 0 1 1 2*
20  Singapore 0 0 1 1
 Swaziland 0 0 1 1*
Total 121 121 132 374

Medals by event

Athletics

Badminton

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Men's SinglesMenMalaysia Punch GunalanCanada Jamie PaulsonEngland Derek Talbot
Men's DoublesMenEngland Elliot Stuart & Derek TalbotEngland Ray Stevens & Mike TredgettMalaysia Punch Gunalan & Dominic Soong
Women's SinglesWomenEngland Gillian Gilks (Perrin)England Margaret BeckMalaysia Sylvia Ng
Women's DoublesWomenEngland Margaret Beck & Gillian GilksEngland Margaret Boxall & Sue WhetnallMalaysia Rosalind Singha Ang & Sylvia Ng
Mixed DoublesMixedEngland Derek Talbot & Gillian GilksEngland Paul Whetnall & Nora GardnerEngland Elliot Stuart & Sue Whetnall

Bowls

Boxing

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Light FlyweightMenKenya Stephen MuchokiUganda James OdworiSingapore Syed Abdul Kadir
Scotland John Bambrick
FlyweightMenNorthern Ireland Davy LarmourIndia Chandra NarayananNigeria Saliu Ishola
Uganda John Byaruhanga
BantamweightMenEngland Patrick CowdellUganda Ali RojoZambia Newton Chisanga
Kenya Isaac Maina
FeatherweightMenNigeria Edward NdukwuUganda Shadrack OdhiamboCanada Dale Andersen
Kenya Samuel Mbugua
LightweightMenUganda Ayub KaluleNigeria Kayin AmahIndia Muniswami Venu
New Zealand Robert Colley
Light WelterweightMenNigeria Obisia NwankpaGhana Anthony MarteyKenya Philip Mathenge
Scotland James Douglas
WelterweightMenUganda Mohamed MuruliWales Errol McKenzieNorthern Ireland John Rodgers
Scotland Steve Cooney
Light MiddleweightMenZambia Lottie MwaleScotland Alex HarrisonNew Zealand Lance Revill
England Robert Davies
MiddleweightMenSaint Vincent and the Grenadines Frankie LucasZambia Julius LuipaEngland Carl Speare
New Zealand Leslie Rackley
Light HeavyweightMenEngland Billy KnightNew Zealand William ByrneNorthern Ireland Gordon Ferris
Nigeria Isaac Ikhouria
HeavyweightMenEngland Neville MeadeNigeria Fatai AyinlaUganda Benson Masanda
Samoa Vai Samu

Cycling

Track

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Time TrialMenAustralia Dick Paris00:01:12Australia John Nicholson00:01:12England Ian Hallam00:01:12
SprintMenAustralia John NicholsonJamaica Xavier MiranderTrinidad and Tobago Ian Atherly
Individual PursuitMenEngland Ian Hallam00:05:05England Willi Moore00:05:12Australia Gary Sutton00:05:09
Team PursuitMenEngland Mick Bennett, Richard Evans, Ian Hallam & Willi Moore00:04:41Australia Murray Hall, Kevin Nichols, Garry Reardon & Gary Sutton00:04:49New Zealand Paul Brydon, René Hyde, Russell Nant & Blair Stockwellovertook
10 Miles ScratchMenEngland Steve Heffernan00:20:51Australia Murray Hall00:20:52England Ian Hallam00:20:52
TandemMenEngland Geoffrey Cooke & Ernest Crutchlow10.74Australia John Rush & Danny O'NeillNew Zealand Paul Medhurst & Philip Harland

Road

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Road RaceMenAustralia Clyde Sefton05:07:17England Phil Griffiths 05:07:46Australia Remo Sansonetti05:17:27

Diving

Men's events
Event Gold Silver Bronze
3 Metres Springboard DivingAustralia Don Wagstaff531.54Canada Scott Cranham509.61England Trevor Simpson489.69
10 Metres Highboard [Platform] DivingAustralia Don Wagstaff490.74Australia Andrew Jackomos472.47Canada Scott Cranham460.98
Women's events
Event Gold Silver Bronze
3 Metres Springboard DivingCanada Cindy Shatto430.88Canada Beverley Boys426.93Canada Teri York413.83
10 Metres Highboard [Platform] DivingCanada Beverley Boys361.95England Beverley Williams352.14Australia Madeleine Barnett339.3

Shooting

Pistol

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Free PistolMen/OpenCanada Jules Sobrian549Australia Norman Harrison549England Laslo Antal543
Rapid-Fire PistolMen/OpenCanada William Hare586Canada Jules Sobrian583New Zealand Bruce McMillan581

Rifle

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Small Bore RifleMen/OpenAustralia Yvonne Gowland594Wales Bill Watkins591Scotland Alister Allan591
Full Bore RifleMen/OpenNew Zealand Maurice Gordon387.26Scotland Colin McEachran386.27England James Spaight383.35

Shotgun

Event Gold Silver Bronze
TrapMen/OpenCanada John Primrose196England Brian Bailey193Wales Philip Lewis191
SkeetMen/OpenCanada Harry Willsie194England Joe Neville191Australia Robin Bailey189

Swimming

Men's events
Event Gold Silver Bronze
100 m freestyle  Michael Wenden (AUS) 52.73  Bruce Robertson (CAN) 53.78  Brian Phillips (CAN) 54.11
200 m freestyle  Steve Badger (AUS) 1:56.72  Bruce Robertson (CAN) 1:57.21  Michael Wenden (AUS) 1:57.83
400 m freestyle  John Kulasalu (AUS) 4:01.44  Brad Cooper (AUS) 4:02.12  Steve Badger (AUS) 4:04.07
1500 m freestyle  Steve Holland (AUS) 15:34.73  Mark Treffers (NZL) 15:59.82  Steve Badger (AUS) 16:22.23
100 m backstroke  Mark Tonelli (AUS) 59.65  Steve Pickell (CAN) 59.88  Brad Cooper (AUS) 1:00.17
200 m backstroke  Brad Cooper (AUS) 2:06.31  Mark Tonelli (AUS) 2:09.47  Robert Williams (AUS) 2:09.83
100 m breaststroke  David Leigh (ENG) 1:06.52  David Wilkie (SCO) 1:07.37  Paul Naisby (ENG) 1:08.52
200 m breaststroke  David Wilkie (SCO) 2:24.42  David Leigh (ENG) 2:24.75  Paul Naisby (ENG) 2:27.36
100 m butterfly  Neil Rogers (AUS) 56.58  Byron MacDonald (CAN) 56.83  Bruce Robertson (CAN) 56.84
200 m butterfly  Brian Brinkley (ENG) 2:04.51  Ross Seymour (AUS) 2:06.64  John Coutts (NZL) 2:07.03
200 m individual medley  David Wilkie (SCO) 2:10.11  Brian Brinkley (ENG) 2:12.73  Gary MacDonald (CAN) 2:12.98
400 m individual medley  Mark Treffers (NZL) 4:35.90  Brian Brinkley (ENG) 4:41.29  Raymond Terrell (ENG) 4:42.94
4×100 m freestyle relay  Canada (CAN)
Brian Phillips
Bruce Robertson
Gary MacDonald
Ian MacKenzie
3:33.79  Australia (AUS)
Michael Wenden
Neil Rogers
Peter Coughlan
Ross Patterson
3:34.26  England (ENG)
Brian Brinkley
Colin Cunningham
Keith Walton
Raymond Terrell
3:38.22
4×200 m freestyle relay  Australia (AUS)
John Kulasalu
Michael Wenden
Robert Nay
Steve Badger
7:50.13  England (ENG)
Brian Brinkley
Colin Cunningham
Neil Dexter
Raymond Terrell
7:52.90  Canada (CAN)
Bruce Robertson
Gary MacDonald
Ian MacKenzie
Jim Fowlie
7:53.38
4×100 m medley relay  Canada (CAN)
Brian Phillips
Bruce Robertson
Steve Pickell
William Mahony
3:52.93  Australia (AUS)
Mark Tonelli
Michael Wenden
Neil Rogers
Nigel Cluer
3:55.76  England (ENG)
Brian Brinkley
Colin Cunningham
David Leigh
Stephen Nash
4:00.48
Women's events
Event Gold Silver Bronze
100 m freestyleAustralia Sonya Gray59.13Canada Gail Amundrud 59.36Canada Judy Wright59.46
200 m freestyleAustralia Sonya Gray00:02:04Australia Jenny Turrall00:02:07Canada Gail Amundrud00:02:07
400 m freestyleAustralia Jenny Turrall00:04:22Canada Wendy Quirk00:04:23New Zealand Jaynie Parkhouse00:04:23
800 m freestyleNew Zealand Jaynie Parkhouse00:08:58Australia Jenny Turrall00:08:59Australia Rosemary Milgate00:08:59
100 m backstrokeCanada Wendy Cook00:01:06Canada Donna Gurr00:01:07Australia Linda Young00:01:08
200 m backstrokeCanada Wendy Cook00:02:20Australia Sandra Yost00:02:22Canada Donna Gurr00:02:24
100 m breaststrokeEngland Christine Gaskell00:01:16Canada Marion Stuart00:01:17Scotland Sandra Dickie00:01:17
200 m breaststrokeWales Pat Beavan00:02:43Australia Beverley Whitfield00:02:44Australia Allison Smith00:02:45
100 m butterflyCanada Patti Stenhouse00:01:05Scotland Kim Wickham00:01:06Australia Sandra Yost00:01:06
200 m butterflyAustralia Sandra Yost00:02:21Canada Patti Stenhouse00:02:21Australia Gail Neall00:02:22
200 m individual medleyCanada Leslie Cliff00:02:24Canada Becky Smith00:02:25New Zealand Susan Hunter00:02:26
400 m individual medleyCanada Leslie Cliff00:05:01Canada Becky Smith00:05:04New Zealand Susan Hunter00:05:07
4 × 100 m freestyle relayCanada Canada00:03:57Australia Australia00:04:02England England00:04:06
4 × 100 m medley relayCanada Canada00:04:25Australia Australia00:04:31Scotland Scotland00:04:32

Weightlifting

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Flyweight – OverallMen Precious McKenzie (ENG)215 Anil Mondal (IND)200 John McNiven (SCO)192.5
Bantamweight – OverallMen Michael Adams (AUS)222.5 Yves Carignan (CAN)212.5 Shanmug Velliswamy (IND)212.5
Featherweight – OverallMen George Vasiliades (AUS)237.5 Gerald Hay (AUS)235 Brian Duffy (NZL)232.5
Lightweight – OverallMen George Newton (ENG)260 Ieuan Owen (WAL)255 Bruce Cameron (NZL)252.5
Middleweight – OverallMen Tony Ebert (NZL)275 Stanley Bailey (TRI)275 Robert Wrench (WAL)270
Light Heavyweight – OverallMen Tony Ford (ENG)302.5 Paul Wallwork (SAM)300 Mike Pearman (ENG)292.5
Middle Heavyweight – OverallMen Nicolo Ciancio (AUS)330 Brian Marsden (NZL)315 Steve Wyatt (AUS)310
Heavyweight – OverallMen Russ Prior (CAN)352.5 John Bolton (NZL)340 John Barrett (NZL)320
Super Heavyweight – OverallMen Graham May (NZL)342.5 Andy Kerr (ENG)337.5 Terry Perdue (WAL)330

Wrestling

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Light FlyweightMen Mitchell Kawasaki (CAN) Wally Koenig (AUS) Radhey Shyam (IND)
FlyweightMen Sudesh Kumar (IND) Gordon Bertie (CAN) John Navie (AUS)
BantamweightMen Prem Nath (IND) Amrik Singh (ENG) Kevin Burke (AUS)
FeatherweightMen Egon Beiler (CAN) Shivaji Chingle (IND) Ray Brown (AUS)
LightweightMen Jagrup Singh (IND) Joe Gilligan (ENG) Stephen Martin (CAN)
WelterweightMen Raghunath Pawar (IND) Tony Shacklady (ENG) Gordon Mackay (NZL)
MiddleweightMen Dave Aspin (NZL) Satpal Singh (IND) Taras Hryb (CAN)
Light HeavyweightMen Terry Paice (CAN) Netra Pal Singh (IND) Maurice Allan (SCO)
HeavyweightMen Claude Pilon (CAN) Dadu Chaugule (IND) Ian Duncan (SCO)
Super HeavyweightMen Bill Benko (CAN) Bishwanath Singh (IND) Gary Knight (NZL)

See also

Footnotes

  1. Commonwealth games symbol protection act 1974
  2. Ferrit
  3. Zeald.com
  4. Wellington's swim queen in "The Wellingtonian", 21 March 2013 p12

References

Official History of the Xth British Commonwealth Games edited by A. R. Cant (1974, Christchurch)

External links

Preceded by
Edinburgh
British Commonwealth Games
Christchurch
X British Commonwealth Games
Succeeded by
Edmonton
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