2018 Commonwealth Games

XXI Commonwealth Games
Logo of 2018 Commonwealth Games
Host cityGold Coast, Queensland, Australia
MottoShare the Dream
Nations71 Commonwealth Teams
Athletes4,426
Events275 in 18 sports
Opening4 April 2018
Closing15 April 2018
Opened byCharles, Prince of Wales
Closed byPrince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Athlete's OathKaren Murphy
Queen's Baton Final RunnerSally Pearson
Main venueCarrara Stadium
WebsiteGC2018.com
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Logo of the Commonwealth Games Federation
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2018 Commonwealth Games

The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games and also known as Gold Coast 2018, were an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth that was held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, between 4 and 15 April 2018. It was the fifth time Australia had hosted the Commonwealth Games and the first time a major multi-sport had an equal number of events for male and female athletes.[1]

4,426 athletes including 300 para-athletes from 71 Commonwealth Games Associations took part in the event.[2] The Gambia, which withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth of Nations and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in 2013, was readmitted on 31 March 2018 and participated in the event.[3] With 275 sets of medals, the games featured 18 Commonwealth sports, including beach volleyball, para triathlon and women's rugby sevens. These sporting events took place at 14 venues in the host city, two venues in Brisbane and one venue each in Cairns and Townsville.[4]

This was the first Commonwealth Games to take place under the CGF presidency of Dame Louise Martin.[5] The host city Gold Coast was announced at the CGF General Assembly in Basseterre, Saint Kitts, on 11 November 2011.[6] Gold Coast became the seventh Oceanian city and the first regional city to host the Commonwealth Games. These were the eighth games to be held in Oceania and the Southern Hemisphere.

The host nation Australia topped the medal table for the fourth time in the past five Commonwealth Games, winning the most golds (80) and most medals overall (198). England and India finished second and third respectively.[7] Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, British Virgin Islands and Dominica each won their first Commonwealth Games medals.[8]

The 2018 Commonwealth Games boosted the Queensland economy by more than A$2.4 billion between 2013 and 2022,[9] while the venues constructed and upgraded for the Games generated over $60 million in economic benefit annually to the Gold Coast, with the success of the 2018 Commonwealth Games credited with helping Brisbane to secure hosting rights for the 2032 Summer Olympics.[10][11]

  1. ^ "This Commonwealth Games will be remembered as a year of 'firsts', on and off the field". ABC News. 13 April 2018. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Up to 300 Para athletes participated in the 2018 Commonwealth Games". International Paralympic Committee (IPC). 16 April 2018. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "ABOUT | Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". Gold Coast 2018. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  5. ^ sportscotland. "Louise Martin elected as CGF President". sportscotland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  6. ^ "CGF General Assemble 2011". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Medal Standings - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". results.gc2018.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  8. ^ "CGF President declares Commonwealth more relevant than ever before as "Games of Firsts" draw to a close on Gold Coast". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  9. ^ Towell, Noel (16 February 2022). "Games can deliver gold for Victoria's economy". The Age. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  10. ^ "GC2018 Legacy: Beyond the Games report 2024" (PDF). Ernst & Young. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  11. ^ Pierce, Jeremy. "Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games worth $300m so far: report". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 4 August 2024.