The Brisbane Games are still hailed as one of the very best. Everything went so well from the moment Matilda, a 13-metre mechanical kangaroo, helped out with the opening ceremonies. Once again, a boycott was avoided and the sun shone throughout the duration of the XII Games.
Participating Nations: 46 nations
Participants: 1,583 athletes and 571 officials
Sports/Disciplines: Ten sports featured at the Brisbane Games – archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, shooting, swimming and diving, weightlifting and wrestling.
Winner
As hosts, Australia headed the medal table leading the way ahead of England, Canada, Scotland and New Zealand respectively.
The men’s 200m gold was shared by England’s Mike McFarlane and Scotland’s Allan Wells, with judges unable to separate the pair at the winning post.