5 FACTS ON THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES
1
The Games started in 1930 when they were called the British Empire Games, before becoming the Commonwealth Games in 1954.
2
Held on Australia’s stunning Gold Coast, the 2018 Commonwealth Games will be the biggest in history, featuring 275 events held across 18 sports over 11 days. There’s no Team GB,
with the four home nations competing separately. There are also teams from Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
3 Beach volleyball and women’s rugby sevens will be making their debuts at the Games, while basketball is reintroduced and judo dropped. The Games will also feature seven para-sport events.
4 The Games mascot is a blue koala called Borobi (an Aboriginal term for the marsupial).
5 England topped the medal table at the 2014 games in Glasgow with 174 medals, including 58 Golds, followed by Australia, Canada, Scotland and India.