This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Host city | Vancouver, Canada |
---|---|
Nations | 24 |
Athletes | 662 |
Events | 91 |
Opening | 30 July 1954 |
Closing | 7 August 1954 |
Opened by | Earl Alexander of Tunis |
Closed by | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |
Athlete's Oath | Bill Parnell |
Main venue | Empire Stadium |
← IVVI → |
The 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, from 30 July to 7 August 1954. This was the fifth edition of the event that would eventually become known as the Commonwealth Games, the second post-war Games, the second Canadian Games after the inaugural event in Hamilton and the first event since the name change from British Empire Games took effect in 1952.
It was at these games that the "Miracle Mile" took place between Roger Bannister and John Landy at Empire Stadium. This was the first time these two (and at that time the only two) sub-four-minute mile runners appeared in the same race, and also the first time two runners broke four minutes in the same race. On the same afternoon, Jim Peters, the holder of the world best time for the marathon, entered the stadium 17 minutes ahead of his nearest rival, but collapsed on his final lap, and never completed the race.
The games were attended by 24 nations and 662 competitors.
Venues
- Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Athletics: Empire Stadium, Hastings Park
- Bowls: West Point Grey Club, New West Club
- Boxing: Exhibition Forum, Pacific National Exhibition
- Cycling: Empire Oval (Track), 1155 East Broadway (Road)
- Fencing: Lord Byng School, West Point Grey
- Rowing: Vedder Canal, Chilliwack
- Swimming and Diving: Empire Pool, University of British Columbia, West Point Grey
- Weightlifting: Exhibition Gardens, Pacific National Exhibition
- Wrestling: Kerrisdale Arena
- Athletes' Village: University of British Columbia, West Point Grey
Participating teams
24 teams were represented at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
- Australia
- Bahamas: first appearance
- Barbados: first appearance
- Bermuda
- British Guiana
- Canada (host)
- England
- Fiji
- Gold Coast: first appearance
- Hong Kong
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya: first appearance
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Northern Ireland
- Northern Rhodesia: first appearance
- Pakistan: first appearance
- Scotland
- South Africa
- Southern Rhodesia
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda: first appearance
- Wales
Medal table
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | England | 23 | 24 | 20 | 67 |
2 | Australia | 20 | 11 | 17 | 48 |
3 | South Africa | 16 | 6 | 13 | 35 |
4 | Canada* | 9 | 20 | 14 | 43 |
5 | New Zealand | 7 | 7 | 5 | 19 |
6 | Scotland | 6 | 2 | 5 | 13 |
7 | Southern Rhodesia | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
8 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
9 | Northern Ireland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
10 | Northern Rhodesia | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
11 | Nigeria | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
12 | Pakistan | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
13 | Wales | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
14 | Jamaica | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
15 | Barbados | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Hong Kong | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Uganda | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
18 | Guiana | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Totals (18 entries) | 92 | 89 | 89 | 270 |
Medal winners
Athletics
Main article: Athletics at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth GamesBowls
Main article: Lawn bowls at the 1954 British Empire & Commonwealth GamesBoxing
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
Flyweight Men | Dick Currie (SCO) | Abe Bekker (NRH) | Warner Batchelor (AUS) |
Bantamweight Men | John Smillie (SCO) | Gordon Smith (SRH) | Abubakar Idi Garuba (NGR) |
Featherweight Men | Leonard Leisching (SAF) | Malcolm Collins (WAL) | Dave Charnley (ENG) |
Lightweight Men | Piet van Staden (SRH) | Frank McQuillan (SCO) | Brian Cahill (AUS) |
Light Welterweight Men | Mickey Bergin (CAN) | Aubrey Harris (SRH) | Des Duguid (AUS) |
Welterweight Men | Nicholas Gargano (ENG) | Rodney Litzow (AUS) | Hendrik van der Linde (SAF) |
Light Middleweight Men | Wilf Greaves (CAN) | Freddy Wright (NRH) | Bruce Wells (ENG) |
Middleweight Men | Johannes van der Kolff (SAF) | Arthur Crawford (NRH) | Marcel Piau (CAN) |
Light Heavyweight Men | Piet van Vuuren (SAF) | Tony Madigan (AUS) | Bill Misselbrook (CAN) |
Heavyweight Men | Brian Harper (ENG) | Gerry Buchanan (CAN) | George Jenkins (SAF) |
Cycling
Track
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time Trial Men | Dick Ploog (AUS) | 00:01:12 | Keith Harrison (ENG) | 00:01:13 | ||
Alfred Swift (SAF) | ||||||
Sprint Men | Cyril Peacock (ENG) | +not awarded | Tom Shardelow (SAF) | |||
Individual Pursuit Men | Norman Sheil (ENG) | 00:05:03 | Peter Brotherton (ENG) | 00:05:09 | Robert Fowler (SAF) | 00:05:07 |
10 Miles Scratch Men | Lindsay Cocks (AUS) | 00:21:59 | Keith Harrison (ENG) | Don Skene (WAL) |
+ Lionel Cox did not receive a silver medal, the Australian cycling team refused to participate in the gold and bronze medal playoffs and were subsequently disqualified.
Road
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Road Race Men | Eric Thompson (ENG) | 02:44:08 | John Baird (NZL) | NTT | Bernard Pusey (ENG) | NTT |
Fencing
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
Foil Men | René Paul (ENG) | John Fethers (AUS) | Allan Jay (ENG) |
Foil – Team Men | England (ENG) René Paul Allan Jay Ralph Cooperman |
Australia (AUS) Ivan Lund John Fethers Rod Steel |
Canada (CAN) Carl Schwende J.A. Howard Roland Asselin |
Épée Men | Ivan Lund (AUS) | René Paul (ENG) | Carl Schwende (CAN) |
Épée – Team Men | England (ENG) René Paul Allan Jay Charles de Beaumont |
Canada (CAN) Carl Schwende Edward Brooke Roland Asselin |
Australia (AUS) Ivan Lund John Fethers Laurence Harding-Smith |
Sabre Men | Mike Amberg (ENG) | Ralph Cooperman (ENG) | John Fethers (AUS) |
Sabre- Team Men | Canada (CAN) Carl Schwende Leslie Krasa Roland Asselin |
England (ENG) Michael Amberg William Beatley Ralph Cooperman |
Australia (AUS) Ivan Lund John Fethers Rod Steel Laurence Harding-Smith |
Foil Women | Mary Glen-Haig (ENG) | Gillian Sheen (ENG) | Aileen Harding (WAL) |
Rowing
Swimming
Men's events
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
110 yd freestyle | Jon Henricks (AUS) | 56.5 | Cyrus Weld (AUS) | 58.5 | Rex Aubrey (AUS) | 58.7 |
440 yd freestyle | Gary Chapman (AUS) | 4:39.8 | Jack Wardrop (SCO) | 4:41.5 | Graham Johnston (SAF) | 4:43.3 |
1650 yd freestyle | Graham Johnston (SAF) | 19:01.4 | Peter Duncan (SAF) | 19:22.1 | Gary Chapman (AUS) | 19:28.4 |
110 yd backstroke | John Brockway (WAL) | 1:06.5 | Lincoln Hurring (NZL) | 1:06.9 | Cyrus Weld (AUS) | 1:08.6 |
220 yd breaststroke | Jack Doms (NZL) | 2:52.6 | Peter Jervis (ENG) | 2:52.6 | Alan Hime (ENG) | 2:52.8 |
4×220 yd freestyle relay | Australia David Hawkins Gary Chapman Jon Henricks Rex Aubrey |
8:47.6 | Canada Allen Gilchrist George Park Gerald McNamee Ted Simpson |
8:56.0 | South Africa Dennis Ford Graham Johnston Peter Duncan Billy Steuart |
8:56.3 |
3×110 yd medley relay | Australia Cyrus Weld David Hawkins Jon Henricks |
3:22.0 | New Zealand Frederick Lucas Jack Doms Lincoln Hurring |
3:26.6 | Scotland Jack Wardrop John Service Robert Wardrop |
3:27.3 |
Women's events
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
110 yd freestyle | Lorraine Crapp (AUS) | 1:05.8 | Virginia Grant (CAN) | 1:06.3 | Joan Harrison (SAF) | 1:08.2 |
440 yd freestyle | Lorraine Crapp (AUS) | 5:11.4 | Gladys Priestley (CAN) | 5:19.6 | Margaret Girvan (SCO) | 5:21.4 |
110 yd backstroke | Joan Harrison (SAF) | 1:15.2 | Pat Symons (ENG) | 1:17.4 | Jean Stewart (NZL) | 1:17.5 |
220 yd breaststroke | Elenor Gordon (SCO) | 2:59.2 | Mary Morgan (SAF) | 3:03.3 | Margaret Grundy (ENG) | 3:04.5 |
4×110 yd freestyle relay | South Africa Felicity Loveday Joan Harrison Machduldt Petzer Natalie Myburgh |
4:33.9 | Canada Beth Whittall Gladys Priestley Helen Stewart Virginia Grant |
4:37.0 | England Daphne Wilkinson Fearne Ewart Jean Botham Valerie Nares-Pillow |
4:41.8 |
3×110 yd medley relay | Scotland Helen Gordon Margaret McDowell Margaret Girvan |
3:51.0 | South Africa Joan Harrison Machduldt Petzer Mary Morgan |
3:52.7 | Australia Jann Grier Judith Knight Lorraine Crapp |
3:55.6 |
Diving
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 Metres Springboard Diving Men | Peter Heatly (SCO) | 146.76 | Tony Turner (ENG) | 145.27 | Jack Stewart (NZL) | 144.98 |
10 Metres Highboard Diving Men | Bill Patrick (CAN) | 142.7 | Kevin Newell (AUS) | 142.06 | Peter Heatly (SCO) | 141.32 |
3 Metres Springboard Diving Women | Ann Long (ENG) | 128.26 | Barbara McAulay (AUS) | 127.74 | Irene MacDonald (CAN) | 126.19 |
10 Metres Highboard Diving Women | Barbara McAulay (AUS) | 86.55 | Eunice Miller (ENG) | 79.86 | Ann Long (ENG) | 79.53 |
Weightlifting
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bantamweight | Maurice Megennis (ENG) | 281 | Frank Cope (ENG) | 276.5 | Keith Caple (AUS) | 274 |
Featherweight | Rodney Wilkes (TRI) | 313 | Jules Sylvain (CAN) | 297 | Ron Jenkins (WAL) | 279 |
Lightweight | Vern Barberis (AUS) | 347 | George Nicholls (BAR) | 344.5 | Jan Pieterse (SAF) | 333 |
Middleweight | Jim Halliday (ENG) | 362.5 | Lionel de Freitas (TRI) | 342 | Julius Park (BGU) | 338 |
Light Heavyweight | Gerry Gratton (CAN) | 403.5 | Louis Greeff (SAF) | 367 | Tony George (NZL) | 353.5 |
Middle Heavyweight | Keevil Daly (CAN) | 399 | Lennox Kilgour (TRI) | 392 | Joseph Barnett (ENG) | 376.5 |
Heavyweight | Doug Hepburn (CAN) | 471.5 | Dave Baillie (CAN) | 453.5 | Harold Cleghorn (NZL) | 421.5 |
Wrestling
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
Flyweight Men | Louis Baise (SAF) | Fred Flannery (AUS) | Muhammad Din (PAK) |
Bantamweight Men | Geoff Jameson (AUS) | Muhammad Amin (PAK) | Ian Epton (NRH) |
Featherweight Men | Abraham Geldenhuys (SAF) | Herb Hall (ENG) | John Armitt (NZL) |
Lightweight Men | Godfrey Pienaar (SAF) | Ruby Leobovitch (CAN) | Dick Garrard (AUS) |
Welterweight Men | Nick Loubser (SAF) | Abdul Rashid (PAK) | Ray Myland (ENG) |
Middleweight Men | Hermanus van Zyl (SAF) | Jim Christie (CAN) | Harry Kendall (ENG) |
Light Heavyweight Men | Jacob Theron (SAF) | Bob Steckle (CAN) | Dan van Staden (NRH) |
Heavyweight Men | Ken Richmond (ENG) | Keith Maltman (CAN) |
References
- "Commonwealth Games Federation – 1954 Commonwealth Games – Introduction". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
- "AUSSIES BOYCOTT GAMES CYCLING Thu 5 Aug 1954 Page 1". Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga, NSW). 1954.
External links
- "Vancouver 1954". Commonwealthsport.com. Commonwealth Sport.
- "Results and Medalists—1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". Thecgf.com. Commonwealth Games Federation.
- British Empire and Commonwealth Games, a National Film Board of Canada documentary about the 1954 Games.
Preceded by Auckland |
British Empire and Commonwealth Games Vancouver V British Empire and Commonwealth Games |
Succeeded by Cardiff |
Commonwealth Games medal tables | |
---|---|
Sports at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games (Vancouver) | |
---|---|
- 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- 1954 in multi-sport events
- Sports competitions in Vancouver
- History of Vancouver
- International sports competitions hosted by Canada
- Commonwealth Games in Canada
- 1954 in Canadian sports
- Commonwealth Games by year
- July 1954 sports events in Canada
- August 1954 sports events in Canada
- 1950s in Vancouver
- 1954 in British Columbia