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Home , Commonwealth Games, Marcus Stephen, Tim Foster, Tracey Wickham

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THE 'FRIENDLY GAMES' EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS ASKED TO PENTATHLON SPECTATORS IN

For which reasons did you decide In your opinion, which of the follow­ he XVII Commonwealth non metric then) at the new Games. by Philip Barker' to be a spectator at the Sydney ing statements apply to the Olympic Games to be held in After winning a third gold in the relay, Olympic Games? Games? TManchester, , this July he competed once more at the (Answer 'true' or 'false') (Answer 'agree' or 'disagree') promise the biggest such gathering in Olympics and then became a mem­ history with over 70 nations taking ber of the IOC serving for almost half I wanted to... • Every Olympic athlete ought to part in seventeen sports, the largest a century. Many athletes in later • attend this world event know about Olympic history and event to be held in Great Britain since years repeated Burghley's double, Olympic ideals the Games of the XIV Olympiad in but with gold in the Commonwealth • experience tlie immediate atmos- OQO 1948. Games, often a prelude to Olympic pliere • The decisions of the 100 should be controlled by a board of directors success. • continue my tradition of attending Origins Don Ouarrie, the great Jamaican • Rights (financial safeguard) and Olympic Games • There is a greater sense of fair play The owe sprinter was the undoubted king in duties (no doping, fair play) of an • support the athletes of my country than in other sports much to the fundamental principles the seventies, a double gold medal­ Olympic athlete should be fixed of Olympism. Though their creed list in the 100m, but it was in the • see peak sporting performance • Riding and running in the same by a legally valid contract with the venue is very attractive says they should be 'merry and less countries and the Games were 200m that he turned on the style. • see which country will earn the most IOC stern'. They were inspired by the opened by the Governor General Gold in 1970 and medals • I like the beauty of the venue • The Olympic idea combines sport success of the Olympic Games in the of Lord Wlllingdon on 16 1974 the prelude to his • There are areas of free access for August 1930. • see especially modern pentathlon and art. roaring twenties. All three Olympiads Olympic success in , though spectators • experience something exciting in that decade had been celebrated just to emphasise the point, he went • I admire multi-talented athletes in Europe. They were followed by a Golden Moments back to Canada for the 1978 • meet with friends and acquain­ instead of specialists What relation do you see between highly popular challenge match From the outset there were some Commonwealth Games and won the tances between the USA and a combined very familiar names amongst the vic­ 200m gold a third time for a marvel­ • Modern pentathlon of yesterday the cultural programme and the • travel and become familiar with an team from Britain, Canada, tors. Indeed the first race, a heat in lous hat-trick. motivated me to see more Olympic Games in Sydney? area of Australia and . The veteran the hurdles was won by Lord David At middle distances, the pedigree of • I got the tickets as a gift Burghley, Marquess of Exeter • fulfil work duties • No relationship at all Australian official Richard Coombes performances has always been • It is rather a coincidence suggested that they should harness (Olympic 400m hurdles champion in impressive. • Other... • It allows artists to present their work the successful Olympic Spirit in a Amsterdam in 1928). He represented In the fifties England's Roger • I can see a variety of sports with in front of a large number of people Commonwealth setting. The chef de England in Hamilton, and won both Bannister and Australian one ticket • It brightens up the host city For which reasons did you go to mission of the Canadian team Bobby the 120 yards hurdles and the had lowered the mile record by turns • Other... modern pentathlon? • Cultural events and exhibits tradi­ Robinson was a journalist who 440 yards hurdles (track events were in splendid isolation until Bannister (Answer 'true' or 'false') tionally belong to the Olympic agreed. Things moved very quickly. went below four minutes for the first During your stay in Sydney what Games The Canadians lobbied hard for the time at Iffley Road, in May Because... Games and got the nomination. 1954. The stage was set for a mem­ significance did the following have • The cultural programme combines • modern pentathlon is rarely seen on There were less than two years to orable encounter at the Games in for you... art and sport television prepare, but everything was ready for that summer. The ' Mile of (Answer 'very important', 'important', • It provides a beautiful setting for the the first, rather grandiosely styled the Century' they called it. Bannister • the athletes are not so much con­ 'less important', 'no important') sporting competitions Games in Hamilton, V Landy is still talked about with awe. cerned by financial reward as in • Rest and relaxation (in time the name would be The Englishman won a fantastic race, other sports • It allows the athletes and spectators changed to Commonwealth Games). but neither man was able to convert • Visiting cultural events to experience aesthetic beauty • I like the thrill of modern pentathlon In those days international sports­ their Commonwealth success into because victory is open until the • Sporting events in general • It gives those tourists/family mem­ men travelled by sea and some of Olympic gold. But throughout the end • Modern pentathlon especially bers, who are less interested in the overseas competitors were late fifties and early sixties, the • I want to see athletes with an espe­ • Travelling before or after the sport, an alternative delayed by fog and only arrived in the Commonwealth title at the Mile dis­ nick of time to take part. In the end . tance proved an accurate indicator cially strong spirit of competition Olympics in Australia • Other... COMMONWEALTHM GAMES there were 400 competitors from 11 of who would take 1,500m Olympic

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Source : Bibliothèque du CIO / IOC Library History

from a wheelchair. Neroli went on tional Olympic disciplines. In 1966, to compete in the Los Angeles badminton was admitted to the pro­ Olympics too. gramme when the Games were held Diamond turned to gold at the in Kingston, . It was the cue shooting range at the Games of the for to join the gold standard. XXVII Olympiad in Sydney in 2000. It Tain Aik Huang won the singles and was a touch of alchemy that later Rashid Sidek made history when Australian Michael Diamond had he became the first man to success­ perfected in in 1998. fully defend his title. To keep it in the The darling of the home crowd at family, his brothers Jalani and Razif Sydney was but it won the doubles title. The successful was at the Commonwealth Games integration of badminton into a of 1994 in Victoria, Canada, that she Games environment paved the way first had the opportunity to display for its introduction into the Olympic the Aboriginal flag alongside the programme in 1992. Southern Cross in celebration of vic­ Triathlon was another sport which

tory in the 400m. made its bow at the Commonwealth Young South Africans welcoming the Queen's Baton. Lord David Burghley (number 444, centre) in the 400 m hurdies in Amsterdam in 1928. The Commonwealth Games arrived in Games in 1990 as a demonstration the Far East for the first time in 1998, event before its unforgettable debut gold. Herb Elliot, and the Canada's Richard W. Pound, now an as Kuala Lumpur was host city. They on the Olympic stage in Sydney. incomparable Kip Keino can proudly IOC member, did stem the Green opened almost exactly two years Team sports were first included on display Commonwealth and Olympic and Gold tide in 1962. He won the before Sydney. Susie O'Neill, now an the programme in 1998 in Kuala gold from successive Games. In gold medal in the 100 yards IOC member, gave notice of her Lumpur with the addition of , Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1974 freestyle. His IOC colleague, intentions with six gold medals, a , hockey and . there was a classic encounter in Australian Richard , record for single Games. The small community on the pacific which as the great broadcaster and won gold on the track at 440 yards And a fifteen year-old from Sydney island of had someone to Olympic Order recipient David eight years earlier. By 1962, Gosper won gold, prompting writers at the cheer in where weightlifter Coleman sa\d:'(John) Walker couldn't was the General Manager of the time to predict 'By Sydney his talent got his chance after get Bayl'. The athlete in question, team, which took could be terrifying'. How right they his mum Sunshine lobbied the island of became part in the Commonwealth Games were! The young swimmer? Now authorities to register their team. Commonwealth Champion and in a for the first time. As he later noted in better known as the Thorpedo', Ian Gold came in the 60kg snatch, Nauru new world record time too. Sadly his book 'An Olympic Life': "In It's Thorpe could yet re-write the later formed an NOC and were happy The torch traveiling by canoe in . their Olympic rematch did not take own small way, Papua New Guinea's Commonwealth and Olympic record to welcome President Samaranch place in 1976. Tanzania was one of entry into the Commonwealth books. when he visited the region. And of the many African nations who Games represented a coming of age course their flag was to be seen in time to manage the New Zealand of the Harbour Bridge. What would decided to boycott Montreal after the for the territory". They later became a Family of Nations, Family of Sport Sydney. athletics team as well! As one who'd those pioneers have made of New Zealand Rugby team toured member of the Olympic family. Like the Olympics, the Games give seen the Games mushroom he Homebush? . In the absence of one of is an Olympic sport seen nations large and small the opportu­ Games cycle wrote 'The growth Is nothing but 's White City remains the only his greatest rivals Walker took rarely in the Commonwealth Games. nity to take part. Territories such as The Games are administered by the phenomenal!' other Olympic stadium to hold the Olympic gold. Thus five-time Olympic gold medallist the of and Commonwealth Games Federation, The sequence echoes that of the Games but will celebrate Away from the track Sir Steven Redgrave only competed and the send founded at a meeting held in Los Olympics - once every four years. A them in 2006, exactly 50 years after was already an Olympic champion by at one celebration in in teams. Angeles on the eve of the 1932 full half-century before "the best they hosted Olympics that were also the time she swam at the Games in 1986. But even so he still won three The Isle of Man's team has a tradition Olympics. King was the Olympics ever", Sydney's first inter­ dubbed Friendly Games. 1958. Brother and sister Usa and Jon gold medals... to include a team member called first patron, to be succeeded by his national Games were in 1938, to Konrads also came home to victory in The crowds at the Games of the XXV Kelly to echo a famous music hall son and then his granddaughter. mark the 150'" anniversary of the Ceremony and Tradition . The Australian teams were to Olympiad in Barcelona in 1992 song 'Kelly from the Isle of Man'. The Federation Chairman for over state of New South . The ath­ By happy coincidence 2002 also dominate the Commonwealth Pool, gasped as Antonio Rebollo, a para­ Naturally Kelly carries the flag at the twenty years was the eminent letics were held at the Sydney Cricket marks the Queen's Golden Jubilee. hardly surprising when they could call plegic archer, lit the torch. A full opening ceremony. Olympian Sir Arthur Porritt, 100m ground (long before the construction Since her accession in 1952 she has on Olympic champions such as decade earlier, Neroli Fairhall from The Games programme embraces Bronze medallist in the Paris of Sydney Football Stadium, which always enjoyed the friendship of this , Mike Wenden and New Zealand won the Archery gold in sports such as , netball and Olympics. He was also a member of hosted soccer in 2000) and the celebration with one notable excep­ . 's Commonwealth Games rugby sevens alongside the tradi­ the IOC from 1934 to 1967 and found and diving in the shadow tion in 1958, she was too ill to attend

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Source : Bibliothèque du CIO / IOC Library

the closing of the Games in Cardiff Again there is an echo of Olympic rit­ Olympics, the identity of the final but sent instead a recorded mes­ ual; the banner is entrusted to the runner is always a closely guarded sage, in which as she closed the Mayor of the Host City for safe keep­ secret. During her Golden Jubilee Games, she also announced the cre­ ing between Games. Shades of the tour, the Queen took the chance to ation of her son Prince Charles - as Antwerp and Oslo flags! meet a number of sportsmen and Prince of Wales. The parade of nations is one of the -women and renewed acquaintances Just as the Olympic Movement has highlights, the country which staged with Sir Steven Redgrave when she its own traditional symbols, so do the previous Games always begin the unveiled a statue of the Rower during Commonwealth Games. The first parade and of course the host nation a visit to his home town of Marlow. Games flag in 1930 incorporated the brings up the rear. Needless to say Also in attendance were the other names of all the competing teams. In they receive the noisiest and most members of the British coxless four, 1952 the Federation adopted a cere­ enthusiastic welcome from the , monial banner. This was a gold crown crowd! and Tim Foster. surrounded by an interlocking chain And there is a most interesting varia­ And there was one tradition, which on a blue background, and with tion on the torch, named the Queen's the Commonwealth gathering offered minor variations this was in use for Baton relay. Since 1958 the Queen to the Olympic Movement. In 1930 a almost 50 years. Now as the games has despatched a message from raised podium was used to honour enter the new Millennium. There's a in London. In the three medallists. Count Henri new emblem The Bar'. Like a barrier that first relay Sir Baillet Latour, then IOC President saw in the it's there to be was one of the runners. Now a distin­ the idea and liked it. By 1932 the vic­ raised. 'It visually represents the guished surgeon he was one of the tory podium as we know it today was Games' efforts to raise the bar of eminent personalities entrusted with in use in the Olympic stadium too. sport for all humanity'. It's supported the Baton in 2002 as it began its long As the athletes go for gold in by two broad hemispheric strokes journey around the world. Named the Manchester.. How many of those will reflecting that Commonwealth teams Queen's Jubilee Baton relay to mark go on to achieve success in come from above and below the the 50 Golden Years of the Queen's too? equator. Three converging points, reign as the head of the symbolise the creed 'Humanity, Commonwealth, this relay arrives in Equality and Destiny'. the host city and just as at the 'Reporter, Sky Sports News, London.

Commonwealth Games 1930 - 2002 1930 Hamilton (Canada) 1934 London (England) 1938 Sydney (Australia) 1950 Auckland (New Zealand) 1954 Vancouver (Canada) 1958 Cardiff (Wales) 1962 (Australia) 1966 Kingston (Jamaica) 1970 Edinburgh (Scotland) 1974 Christchurch (New Zealand) 1978 (Canada) 1982 Brisbane (Australia) SALT LAKE 2002 1986 Edinburgh (Scotland) 1990 Auckland (New Zealand) 1994 Victoria (Canada) 1998 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

Sir Steven Redgrave alongside Queen Elizabeth II, at the Inauguration of a statue 2002 Manchester (England) in his honour in Mariow. PARALYMPICS i 12 13

Source : Bibliothèque du CIO / IOC Library