1966 British Commonwealth
Games
4-13 August 1966, Kingston, Jamaica
With the British Empire formally ended, the Kingston
Games became the VIII British Commonwealth Games.
There was a worry amongst the larger nations that
Jamaica’s infrastructure would not enable a
successful Games delivery – but this proved
to be largely unfounded. Controversially, also, the
event program was altered for the first time since
1950 with lawn bowls and rowing dropped and replaced
with badminton and shooting instead.
The VII Commonwealth 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.
James Coote of the London Daily Telegraph describes:
"The VIIth Commonwealth Games have proved that
it is possible for an area as basically devoid of
sports interest as Perth to stage the second most
important sports meeting in the World - and stage
it successfully. Perth has shown that these Games
will continue for years to come"
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. Aden also competed by
special invitation. Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya competed
for the last time before taking part in 1966 under
the Malaysian flag.
For Perth, the staging of the Commonwealth Games provided
it with a springboard for phenomenal development in
sport and recreation, centered on the sports facilities
that were built for the Games. These facilities have
catered not only for elite sport but provided much
needed opportunity for the development of organized
recreational sport as well as a focus for Australia's
first University degree Program in Physical Education
The nine sports featured in the Kingston Games were
athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, fencing, shooting,
swimming and diving, weightlifting and wrestling.
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