The Commonwealth Games are an international multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The Games are held every four years, with the next edition set to take place in Birmingham, England in 2022.
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Introduction
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and has taken place every four years since then. The Commonwealth Games are the third largest multi-sport event in the world, after the Olympic Games and the Asian Games.
There are currently 71 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and all of them are eligible to take part in the Games. England is the only country to have competed at every single edition of the Games, while Wales and Scotland have also competed at all editions since 1930. Northern Ireland has only competed at three editions, but did so as part of an all-Ireland team before it became independent in 1949.
The most recent edition of the Commonwealth Games was held in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014. The next edition will be held on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018.
There are a total of 17 sports which are contested at the Commonwealth Games: Aquatics (diving, swimming, synchronised swimming), Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling (mountain biking, road cycling, track cycling), Gymnastics (artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics), Hockey, Lawn bowls, Netball, Rugby sevens, Shooting , Squash , Table tennis , Triathlon , Weightlifting , Wrestling .
Lawn Bowls
Lawn bowls is a precision sport in which players attempt to roll biased balls so that they stop close to a small ball called a “jack” or “kitty”. It is played on a flat grassed surface with either individual or team play. It is one of the sports in the Commonwealth Games.
Lawn bowls is a precision sport in which the players attempt to roll biased balls so that they stop close to a small ball called a “jack” or “kitty”. It is played on a flat grassed surface with either individual or team play. The bowls are made of hard rubber or plastic and are biassed so that they curve when rolled. The aim of the game is to bowl your bowls (usually four) as close to the jack as possible. If you bowl two bowls closer than your opponents’ closest bowl, then you have scored two points (called “shots”). If only one of your bowls is closer, you have scored one shot. The game is usually played over an agreed number of ends (a set number of rounds), and the team with the most shots at the end of the match wins.
Lawn bowls is a popular sport in many Commonwealth countries, including Australia, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales. It is also played in South Africa and many other countries around the world.
Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens is a fast-paced and shorter version of traditional rugby. It is played with seven players on each side instead of the usual 15, and the game is shorter, typically lasting around 14 minutes. Rugby sevens originated in Scotland in the 19th century, and it is now played at international level by both men and women.
Rugby sevens made its Commonwealth Games debut in 1998, and it has been a regular fixture ever since. It is one of the most popular sports in the Games, with fans flocking to watch the action-packed matches.
Both England and New Zealand are strong contenders in the rugby sevens competition, and they have dominated the sport in recent years. In 2018, England won both the men’s and women’s titles, while New Zealand claimed victory in the mixed team event.
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played by two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960, international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women’s Basketball was formed. The World Championships for Netball was first held in 1963 and is now celebrated every four years by participants from over sixty nations.
Boxing
In boxing, two opponents compete in a ring, attempting to land punches on each other while also trying to avoid being hit themselves. The sport has been a part of the Commonwealth Games since 1934, and there are currently ten weight classes for men and five for women.
Wrestling
Wrestling is a Commonwealth Games sport and has been so since the inaugural Games in 1930. It features at all subsequent editions of the Commonwealth Games, with the exception of Edinburgh 1970.
Wrestling is a form of combat sport involving grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, sweeps and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two (occasionally more) competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position. There are a wide range of styles with varying rules with both traditional historic and modern styles. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into other martial arts as well as military hand-to-hand combat systems.
Weightlifting
Weightlifting is widely considered as one of the most challenging and physically demanding sports in the world. The Commonwealth Games is no different, as it features some of the best weightlifters from all over the globe.
The sport of weightlifting involves two main lifts – the clean and jerk, and the snatch. In order to be successful, athletes must possess a combination of strength, power, coordination, agility, and mental focus.
The Commonwealth Games features both men’s and women’s weightlifting competitions. Each competition consists of two parts – the snatch, and the clean and jerk. Athletes are awarded points for each successful lift, and the athlete with the most points at the end of the competition is declared the winner.
Cycling
Cycling was first included in the Commonwealth Games in 1934, with two events – a Road Race and a Track Race.
Since then, it has been a regular fixture on the Games programme, with both men’s and women’s events.
The sport has evolved over the years, and now includes BMX racing and mountain biking, as well as the more traditional road and track racing.
There are currently 17 cycling medal events on the Commonwealth Games programme:
8 for men (4 road, 4 track)
9 for women (4 road, 5 track)
Triathlon
The triathlon is a multi-sport event consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. The most common distances are the “sprint” (750 meters swim, 20 kilometers cycle, 5 kilometers run), the “Olympic” or “international” (1.5 kilometer swim, 40 kilometers cycle, 10 kilometers run), and the “long course” (3 kilometer swim, 80 kilometers cycle, 20 kilometers run). A triathlon can be completed by individuals or teams of up to three people.
Conclusion
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and has taken place every four years since then. The Commonwealth Games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which also controls the Pan-Commonwealth Games, an identical event for non-Commonwealth countries from the Pacific, Africa, the Americas and Asia.
There are a total of 21 different sports which are currently played at the Commonwealth Games. These sports are:
Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Beach volleyball, Boxing, Cycling, Diving, Gymnastics, Hockey, Lawn bowls, Netball, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Table tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball
It is worth noting that some of these sports (eg. rugby 7s) are only played at the Commonwealth Games and not at the Olympics.