commonwealth games

Events In History

2 February 1974

'The greatest middle distance race of all time'

In an amazing Commonwealth Games 1500-m final, New Zealand’s John Walker broke the world record yet finished second. Tanzanian Filbert Bayi won in a new world record time of 3 minutes 32.16 seconds. Read more...
25 January 1974

First day of competition at the Christchurch Commonwealth Games

On the opening day of the 'Friendly Games', Canterbury runner Dick Tayler pulled off a surprise victory for the host nation in the 10,000 m. Read more...

The 2010 World Rowing Championships was the third major international rowing event to be held at Lake Karapiro in Waikato. Find out about earlier events and other fascinating stories from New Zealand's rich rowing past.
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Page 4 - The world comes to KarapiroLake Karapiro's potential to become the best rowing venue in a country with few straight sheltered courses was soon recognised and it hosted the 1950 Empire Games and the 1978

The mid-century decades brought more mass participation in sport, the consolidation of many national competitions, and greater achievement at international level.

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Page 4 – Competitors and spectators
Sports participation and spectatorship were the only daytime leisure activities to rival home-centred pursuits such as gardening in this period. New Zealand's hosting of

Williams, Yvette Winifred
The sports writer Peter Heidenstrom rated Yvette Williams as his 'New Zealand Athlete of the Century'. There is no doubt that she was one of our greatest-ever athletes - and probably the most versatile.
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Walker, John George
John Walker is one of New Zealand's track heroes. His athletic career was punctuated by memorable performances and noted for its longevity
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