Commonwealth Games
Events > Commonwealth Games > Hosts > Vancouver
Vancouver Canada, 1954
Trivia
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The Games were held between 30 July – 7 August 1954
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The fifth Games were now renamed to include Commonwealth in the title for the first time.
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New Zealander Yvette Williams became a Games legend when she won gold in the discus, shot put and long jump at the 1954 Vancouver games.
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The ‘Miracle Mile’, as it became dubbed, saw both the gold medallist, Roger Bannister of England, and silver medallist, John Landy of Australia, run sub-four minute races in an event that was televised live across the globe for the first time. Here is an excerpt from "Australia’s Complete History at the Commonwealth Games" by J. Blanch & P. Jenes, 1982: "The one mile, on the last day, August 7, was run in stifling 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius) heat. Landy ran the first lap in 58.2 seconds, with Bannister fifth in 58.9 seconds. At the half-way mark, Landy was keeping up the pace, running 1-58.2 to lead by seven yards (6.40m) from Bannister. At the bell, Landy had run 2-58.4 and Bannister had closed the gap to two yards (1.83m). When Landy led into the final straight, he glanced to his left while Bannister sprinted by to his right to win in 3-58.8. Landy’s time, in finishing second, was 3-59.6."
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Some 24 nations sent a total of 662 athletes and 127 officials to the Vancouver Games. Nations winning medals at the Games included England, Australia, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, Trinidad, Northern Ireland, North and South Rhodesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Wales, Jamaica, Hong Kong, Uganda, Barbados and British Guiana.
Sports
- A total of nine sports figured in the Games.
Medal Count
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The following list includes the first four ranked teams. The ranking list for all years is available here.
Year |
Country |
GOLD |
SILVER |
BRONZE |
TOTAL |
1954 |
England |
23 |
24 |
20 |
67 |
Related Pages
- List of Commonweath Games Host Cities
