1962 British Empire &
Commonwealth Games
21 November – 1 December, Perth, Australia
The VII Games are remembered for its “heat,
dust and glory”. The day before the Perth Games
opened the temperature was an expected 80 degrees
Fahrenheit, but the heat was measured at 105 degrees
at the opening ceremony in the new Perry Lakes Stadium
the following day and such extremes persisted throughout
the Games’ duration. In the previous 65 years,
only 10 100 degree plus days had been recorded in
Perth. Australian soldiers were pressed into action,
ferrying water to competing athletes.
Thirty-five countries sent a total of 1,041 athletes
and officials to Perth. Jersey was amongst the medal
winners for the first time, whilst British Honduras,
Dominica, Papua New Guinea and St Lucia all made their
inaugural Games appearances.
Nine sports were featured at the Perth Games –
athletics, boxing, cycling, fencing, lawn bowls, rowing,
swimming and diving, weightlifting and wrestling.
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