1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games was held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics was held in Montreal, Quebec. They were boycotted by Nigeria, in protest at New Zealand's sporting contacts with apartheid-era South Africa, as well as by Uganda, in protest at alleged Canadian hostility towards the government of Idi Amin.[1] The Bid Election was held at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
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Host city | Edmonton, Canada |
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Nations | 47 |
Athletes | 1,475 |
Events | 128 events in 11 sports |
Opening | 3 August 1978 |
Closing | 12 August 1978 |
Opened by | Elizabeth II |
Athlete's Oath | Beverly Boys |
Queen's Baton Final Runner | Diane Jones Konihowski |
Main venue | Commonwealth Stadium |
This was the first Commonwealth Games where a computerised system was used to handle ticket sales. This was the first Commonwealth Games to be named Commonwealth Games, having dropped British. The Games were opened by Queen Elizabeth II for the first time since becoming Queen in 1952.
Participating teams

46 teams were represented at the 1978 Games.
(Teams competing for the first time are shown in bold).
Participating Commonwealth countries and territories |
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Medals by country
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* Host nation (Canada)
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 45 | 31 | 33 | 109 |
2 | ![]() | 27 | 27 | 33 | 87 |
3 | ![]() | 24 | 33 | 27 | 84 |
4 | ![]() | 7 | 6 | 5 | 18 |
5 | ![]() | 5 | 6 | 9 | 20 |
6 | ![]() | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
7 | ![]() | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14 |
8 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
9 | ![]() | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
10 | ![]() | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
11 | ![]() | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
12 | ![]() | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
13 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
15 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
16 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
![]() | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
18 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
20 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
21 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Totals (21 entries) | 128 | 128 | 139 | 395 |
Medals by event
Athletics
Badminton
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
Mixed Team | ![]() Anne Statt Barbara Sutton David Eddy Derek Talbot Jane Webster Karen Bridge Kevin Jolly Mike Tredgett Nora Perry Raymond Stevens | ![]() Claire Backhouse Gregory Carter Jamie McKee Jane Youngberg Johanne Falardeau John Czich Kenneth Priestman Lucio Fabris Sharon Crawford Wendy Clarkson | ![]() Abu Bakar Sufian Chee Geok Whee Moo Foot Lian James Selvaraj Katherine Swee Phek Teh Saw Swee Leong Sylvia Ng Ong Teong Boon |
Men's Singles | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Men's Doubles | ![]() Mike Tredgett (ENG) | ![]() Ong Beng Teong (MAS) | ![]() Richard Purser (NZL) |
Women's Singles | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Women's Doubles | ![]() Anne Statt (ENG) | ![]() Jane Youngberg (CAN) | ![]() Kanwal Thakar Singh (IND) |
Mixed Doubles | ![]() Nora Perry (ENG) | ![]() Joanna Flockhart (SCO) | ![]() Barbara Sutton (ENG) |
Boxing
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
Light Flyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Flyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Bantamweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Featherweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Lightweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Light Welterweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Welterweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Light Middleweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Middleweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Light Heavyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Heavyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Cycling
- Track
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's Time Trial | ![]() | 1:06.00 | ![]() | 00:01:07 | ![]() | 00:01:08 |
Men's Sprint | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Men's Individual Pursuit | ![]() | 00:04:50 | ![]() | 00:04:56 | ![]() | 00:04:56 |
Men's Team Pursuit | ![]() Colin Fitzgerald Kevin Nichols Gary Sutton Shane Sutton | 00:04:29 | ![]() Kevin Blackwell Anthony Cuff Neil Lyster Jack Swart | 00:04:38 | ![]() Tony Doyle Paul Fennell Tony James Glen Mitchell | 00:04:51 |
Men's 10 Miles Scratch | ![]() | 00:20:06 | ![]() | 00:20:06 | ![]() | 00:20:06 |
Men's Tandem | ![]() Gordon Singleton (CAN) | 15.52 | ![]() David Le Grys (ENG) | ![]() Stephen Goodall (AUS) |
- Road
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's Road Race | ![]() | 04:22:34 | ![]() | 04:22:35 | ![]() | 04:22:35 |
Gymnastics
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's All-Around | ![]() | 56.4 | ![]() | 54.95 | ![]() | 54.25 |
Men's Team | ![]() Jean Choquette Nigel Rothwell Owen Walstrom Philip Delesalle | 165.55 | ![]() Edward Arnold Ian Neale Jeff Davis Thomas Wilson | 161.95 | ![]() Lambert Ariens Lindsay Nylund Rudolf Starosta Warwick Forbes | 158.5 |
Women's All-Around | ![]() | 38.25 | ![]() | 37.25 | ||
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Women's Team | ![]() Elfi Schlegel Karen Kelsall Monica Goermann Sherry Hawco | 113.25 | ![]() Joanna Sime Karen Robb Lisa Jackman Susan Cheesebrough | 107.4 | ![]() Deborah Hurst Kirsty Durward Lynette Brake Rowena Davis | 106.35 |
Shooting
- Pistol
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's/Open 50m Free Pistol | ![]() | 543 | ![]() | 540 | ![]() | 536 |
Men's/Open 25m Rapid-Fire Pistol | ![]() | 587 | ![]() | 581 | ![]() | 581 |
- Rifle
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's/Open 50m Rifle Prone | ![]() | 1194 | ![]() | 1191 | ![]() | 1187 |
Men's/Open Fullbore Rifle | ![]() | 391 | ![]() | 388 | ![]() | 387 |
- Shotgun
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's/Open Trap | ![]() | 186 | ![]() | 185 | ![]() | 183 |
Men's/Open Skeet | ![]() | 193 | ![]() | 191 | ![]() | 190 |
Swimming
- Men's events
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100 m freestyle | Mark Morgan![]() |
52.70 | Bill Sawchuk![]() |
52.81 | Gary MacDonald![]() |
52.90 |
200 m freestyle | Ron McKeon![]() |
1:52.06 | Graeme Brewer![]() |
1:52.86 | Mark Morgan![]() |
1:53.16 |
400 m freestyle | Ron McKeon![]() |
3:54.43 | Simon Gray![]() |
3:56.87 | Max Metzker![]() |
3:58.83 |
1500 m freestyle | Max Metzker![]() |
15:31.92 | Simon Gray![]() |
15:39.39 | Andrew Astbury![]() |
15:42.89 |
100 m backstroke | Glenn Patching![]() |
57.90 | Gary Abraham![]() |
58.48 | Jay Tapp![]() |
59.05 |
200 m backstroke | Gary Hurring![]() |
2:04.37 | Glenn Patching![]() |
2:05.76 | Paul Moorfoot![]() |
2:05.99 |
100 m breaststroke | Graham Smith![]() |
1:03.81 | Duncan Goodhew![]() |
1:04.24 | Paul Naisby![]() |
1:06.36 |
200 m breaststroke | Graham Smith![]() |
2:20.86 | Duncan Goodhew![]() |
2:21.92 | Lindsay Spencer![]() |
2:22.49 |
100 m butterfly | Dan Thompson![]() |
55.04 | John Mills![]() |
56.22 | Bill Sawchuk![]() |
56.37 |
200 m butterfly | George Nagy![]() |
2:01.99 | Claus Bredschneider![]() |
2:02.49 | Phil Hubble![]() |
2:02.53 |
200 m individual medley | Graham Smith![]() |
2:05.25 | Bill Sawchuk![]() |
2:05.61 | Peter Dawson![]() |
2:09.05 |
400 m individual medley | Graham Smith![]() |
4:27.34 | Simon Gray![]() |
4:27.70 | Bill Sawchuk![]() |
4:27.99 |
4 × 100 m freestyle relay | ![]() Bill Sawchuk Gary MacDonald Graham Smith Peter Szmidt |
3:27.94 | ![]() Glenn Patching Graeme Brewer Mark Morgan Ron McKeon |
3:28.62 | ![]() David Dunne Kevin Burns Martin Smith Richard Burrell |
3:30.10 |
4 × 200 m freestyle relay | ![]() Graeme Brewer Mark Morgan Max Metzker Ron McKeon |
7:34.83 | ![]() Bill Sawchuk Dennis Corcoran Peter Szmidt Robert Baylis |
7:36.58 | ![]() David Dunne Martin Smith Philip Hubble Simon Gray |
7:42.02 |
4 × 100 m medley relay | ![]() Bill Sawchuk Dan Thompson Graham Smith Jay Tapp |
3:49.76 | ![]() Gary Abraham Duncan Goodhew John Mills Martin Smith |
3:50.22 | ![]() Glenn Patching Graeme Brewer Lindsay Spencer Mark Morgan |
3:53.16 |
- Women's events
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100 m freestyle | Carol Klimpel![]() |
57.78 | Rosemary Brown![]() |
58.30 | Wendy Quirk![]() |
58.41 |
200 m freestyle | Rebecca Perrott![]() |
2:00.63 | Tracey Wickham![]() |
2:01.50 | Michelle Ford![]() |
2:01.64 |
400 m freestyle | Tracey Wickham![]() |
4:08.45 | Michelle Ford![]() |
4:10.25 | Rebecca Perrott![]() |
4:16.70 |
800 m freestyle | Tracey Wickham![]() |
8:24.62 | Michelle Ford![]() |
8:25.78 | Rebecca Perrott![]() |
8:44.87 |
100 m backstroke | Debra Forster![]() |
1:03.97 | Hélène Boivin![]() |
1:04.54 | Cheryl Gibson![]() |
1:04.68 |
200 m backstroke | Cheryl Gibson![]() |
2:16.57 | Lisa Forrest![]() |
2:17.66 | Glenda Robertson![]() |
2:18.32 |
100 m breaststroke | Robin Corsiglia![]() |
1:13.56 | Maggie Kelly![]() |
1:13.69 | Marian Stuart![]() |
1:13.72 |
200 m breaststroke | Lisa Borsholt![]() |
2:37.70 | Debbie Rudd![]() |
2:38.07 | Maggie Kelly![]() |
2:38.63 |
100 m butterfly | Wendy Quirk![]() |
1:01.92 | Penny McCarthy![]() |
1:02.27 | Linda Hanel![]() |
1:02.69 |
200 m butterfly | Michelle Ford![]() |
2:11.29 | Wendy Quirk![]() |
2:13.65 | Linda Hanel![]() |
2:14.52 |
200 m individual medley | Sharron Davies![]() |
2:18.37 | Rebecca Perrott![]() |
2:18.70 | Becky Smith![]() |
2:18.95 |
400 m individual medley | Sharron Davies![]() |
4:52.44 | Becky Smith![]() |
4:57.83 | Cheryl Gibson![]() |
4:59.39 |
4 × 100 m freestyle relay | ![]() Carol Klimpel Gail Amundrud Sue Sloan Wendy Quirk |
3:50.28 | ![]() Cheryl Brazendale Heidi Turk Kaye Lovatt Sharron Davies |
3:53.27 | ![]() Lisa Burnes Michelle Ford Rosemary Brown Tracey Wickham |
3:54.11 |
4 × 100 m medley relay | ![]() Carol Klimpel Hélène Boivin Marian Stuart Wendy Quirk |
4:15.26 | ![]() Debra Forster Lisa Curry-Kenny Rosemary Brown Tracey Wickham |
4:16.75 | ![]() Helen Gilyard Margaret Kelly Sharron Davies Sue Jenner |
4:19.87 |
Weightlifting
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flyweight – Overall | ![]() | 205 | ![]() | 197.5 | ![]() | 190 |
Bantamweight – Overall | ![]() | 220 | ![]() | 220 | ![]() | 215 |
Featherweight – Overall | ![]() | 237.5 | ![]() | 235 | ![]() | 230 |
Lightweight – Overall | ![]() | 272.5 | ![]() | 267.5 | ![]() | 262.5 |
Middleweight – Overall | ![]() | 300 | ![]() | 290 | ![]() | 290 |
Light Heavyweight – Overall | ![]() | 322.5 | ![]() | 287.5 | ![]() | 277.5 |
Middle Heavyweight – Overall | ![]() | 335 | ![]() | 330 | ![]() | 312.5 |
Sub Heavyweight – Overall | ![]() | 340 | ![]() | 325 | ![]() | 315 |
Heavyweight – Overall | ![]() | 347.5 | ![]() | 337.5 | ![]() | 335 |
Super Heavyweight – Overall | ![]() | 365 | ![]() | 322.5 | ![]() | 305 |
Wrestling
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
Light Flyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Flyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Bantamweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Featherweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Lightweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Welterweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Middleweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Light Heavyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Heavyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Super Heavyweight | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
Venues
- Commonwealth Stadium: Athletics, Opening and Closing Ceremonies (built new for the games)
- University of Alberta Arena: Badminton
- Commonwealth Bowls: Lawn Bowling (built new for the games)
- Edmonton Gardens: Boxing
- Argyll Velodrome: Cycling (built new for the games)
- Northlands Coliseum: Gymnastics
- Strathcona Shooting Range: Shooting (built new for the games)
- Kinsmen Aquatic Centre: Swimming and Diving (built new for the games)
- Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium: Weightlifting
- University of Alberta Gym: Wrestling
References
- Donald Macintosh; Michael Hawes; Donna Ruth Greenhorn; David Ross Black (5 April 1994). Sport and Canadian Diplomacy. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-7735-1161-3.
External links
- Commonwealth Games Official Site
- A Brief History from the Delhi 2010 site
- 1978 Commonwealth Games – Australian Commonwealth Games official website
- Going the Distance, an NFB documentary
Preceded by Christchurch |
Commonwealth Games Edmonton XI Commonwealth Games |
Succeeded by Brisbane |