Commonwealth Games Preview: What to Watch in the Pool + 10 Fun Facts
The Commonwealth Games are back, and while they don’t always carry the same global spotlight as the Olympics, they consistently deliver world-class racing, especially in the pool.
This year is no exception, with a stacked program of sprint showdowns, powerhouse relays, and rising stars ready to make their mark. Keep an eye on the Women’s 100m Freestyle, always one of the most fiercely contested events, and the 4x100m Women’s Freestyle Relay, where depth and precision can make or break a podium finish.
For Carlile, there’s an extra reason to tune in, with Jess Cole set to make her Commonwealth Games debut an exciting milestone for the NSW swimmer.
Ten Fun Facts About the Commonwealth Games
- The origins date back to 1911, when the Festival of the Empire in London celebrated King George V’s coronation. Australia’s Harold Hardwick won both heavyweight boxing and the 110 yards freestyle.
- The first official British Empire Games were held in 1930. The event was renamed in 1954 (British Empire and Commonwealth Games), 1970 (British Commonwealth Games), and finally became the Commonwealth Games in 1978.
- The 1958 Cardiff Games doubled as a honeymoon for Carlile founders Forbes and Ursula Carlile, who married in Sydney, flew to Townsville for training camp the same day, then on to the Games, where Australia topped the medal tally led by Dawn Fraser and Murray Rose.
- Australia has only been beaten in the swimming medal tally three times—1930, 1934, and 1978—all by Canada, who head into this Games without superstar Summer McIntosh, opting instead for the Pan Pacific Games.
- Carlile legend Shane Gould never competed at the Commonwealth Games. She set 11 world records, won five individual Olympic medals (three gold) in 1972, held every freestyle world record from 100m to 1500m, and retired in 1973 at just 16.
- At the 1974 Christchurch Games, Ursula Carlile became the first—and still only—female head coach of the Australian Swimming Team. She also led the team at the 1975 World Championships.
- Carlile swimmer and TV personality Johanna Griggs won bronze in the 100m backstroke at the 1990 Auckland Games.
- At the 1938 Empire Games, Margaret Dovey represented Australia; she later married Gough Whitlam, who became Prime Minister in 1973.
- Carlile Commonwealth Games gold medallists include Terry Gathercole, Ian O’Brien, Brian Wilkinson, Karen Moras, Jenny Turrall, John Bennett, Judy Joy Davies, Mark Morgan, Scott Miller, Michael Delany, and Matt Renshaw, among many others.
- Carlile Foundation Chair Tim Ford won silver in the 1500m freestyle at the 1982 Brisbane Games.
As the competition unfolds, the Commonwealth Games once again provide a stage where history, community, and high-performance sport come together.
From iconic races to breakthrough debuts like Jess Cole’s, there’s plenty for swimming fans, and the Carlile family, to get excited about.
