Commonwealth Games 2022

The Commonwealth Games, which occurs every four years, is an international multi-sport event for athletes from across the Commonwealth. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 (cancelled due to World War II), have successively run every four years since. Athletes with a disability have been included as full members of their national teams since 2002, making the Commonwealth Games the first fully inclusive international multi-sport event.

The Commonwealth Games 2022 are being held in Birmingham in the UK from Friday 29th July until Monday 8th August. This year there are 24 different sporting competitions being held, including athletics, boxing, mountain bike cycling, judo, lawn bowls, netball, swimming, and weight lifting.

Australia is represented by its largest team at an overseas Commonwealth Games comprising 430 athletes. It may interest you to learn that 10 of the athletes are First Nations athletes and 75 are para-athletes. Fifty-nine team members were born overseas and now proudly call Australia home, and athletes range in age from 14-year-old diver Charli Petrov, to 63-year-old Cheryl Lindfield in the para-lawn bowls.

For the first time, there will be more women’s medal events than men’s events at the Commonwealth Games, and a wider range of para-sports.

Many people have helped prepare the team for Birmingham – parents, partners, coaches and support staff, the Australian Institute of Sport, the National Institute Network, Games partners Paralympics Australia and the Australian Olympic Committee, and National Sporting Organisations.

“Australia is a great sporting nation, and the Commonwealth Games is an exciting opportunity for our athletes to shine,” said Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.

“I congratulate the team on getting to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and commend them for their hard work and dedication to their sport.”

“Know that I, along with your families, friends, supporters and millions of others, will be cheering you on in the early hours of the morning.”

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• General Sport