The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were known as the Friendly Games. They took place in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 24 January to 2 February 1974.
- So Many Stories: Commonwealth Games special part one: Hear from the folks who made the 1974 Commonwealth Games happen, from security guards to drivers, to committee members and media
- So Many Stories: Commonwealth Games special part two: A special episode includes memories from athletes, organisers and staff who were central to the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch.
- Try our Commonwealth Games quiz
- See more photos from the Games in Canterbury Stories
- Find titles in the library catalogue about the 1974 Commonwealth Games
Exhibition images
View items kindly lent for the exhibition by Vaughan Utteridge and John Hampton
Sports
1,276 athletes from 38 countries took part in athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, shooting, swimming and diving, weightlifting and wrestling.
Medals and records
New Zealand won a total of 35 medals - nine gold, eight silver and 18 bronze.
New Zealander Dick Tayler won the 10,000 metre race on the opening day. Don Quarrie from Jamaica won two sprint titles.
On the closing day Tanzania’s Filbert Bayi won the 1500 metres after an epic battle with New Zealand’s John Walker – both men broke the world record. The national records of five countries – Tanzania, Kenya, Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand – were all broken in this race.
Christchurch swimmer Jaynie Parkhouse won the 800-metre freestyle gold medal.
QEII Recreation and Sport Centre
The main venue was Queen Elizabeth II Park, also known as QEII Park. The multi-use stadium was purpose-built for the Games. It had a capacity of 25,000 and for the games a temporary western stand took its capacity to 35,000. As well as the running track, it housed a public swimming and diving pool.
After the Commonwealth Games, QEII played host to numerous sporting events and concerts, and was a popular facility.
The QEII Park Recreation and Sport Centre were extensively damaged in the 22 February 2011 earthquake and demolished in August 2012. The farewell event to the stadium recalled the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
Work on a new recreation and sport centre on the QEII site began in January 2017. Taiora QEII Recreation and Sport Centre opened on Thursday 31 May 2018.
Xth British Commonwealth Games 1974 resources
Library resources
- British Commonwealth Games 1974
- Queen Elizabeth II Park
- Christchurch Commonwealth Games photographs Canterbury Stories
Websites
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1974 British Commonwealth Games
- The Commonwealth Games Federation page on the 1974 Games, including results by sports and country, records, photos, and videos.
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Commonwealth Games collection online
- Commonwealth Games items in the collection of Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand.
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Commonwealth Games photographs
- Photos on Flickr of the 1974 Commonwealth Games by photographer Raymond Morris.
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Games 74 - Part 1
- Part 1 of 5. New Zealand National Film Unit presents GAMES 74 Official Film of the Xth British Commonwealth Games, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1974.
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Games 74 - Part 2
- Part 2 of 5. New Zealand National Film Unit presents GAMES 74 Official Film of the Xth British Commonwealth Games, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1974.
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Games 74 - Part 3
- Part 3 of 5. New Zealand National Film Unit presents GAMES 74 Official Film of the Xth British Commonwealth Games, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1974.
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Games 74 - Part 4
- Part 4 of 5. New Zealand National Film Unit presents GAMES 74 Official Film of the Xth British Commonwealth Games, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1974.
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Games 74 - Part 5
- Part 5 of 5. New Zealand National Film Unit presents GAMES 74 Official Film of the Xth British Commonwealth Games, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1974.
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Join together song, 1974 Commonwealth Games
- Information on the anthem by Steve Allen for the 10th Commonwealth Games, held in Christchurch 1974.
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NZ Design Icons: 1974 Commonwealth Games
- Design Assembly article by Lindsay Yee on the logo for the 1974 Commonwealth Games. It was designed by Wellington designer Colin Simon.
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The Games Affair
- Set amidst the 'friendly' 1974 Commonwealth Games, The Games Affair was a thriller fantasy series for children. NZ On Screen.
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Xth Commonwealth Games 1974 and QEII Park
- A DigitalNZ set of images relating to the Commonwealth Games in 1974.
Games 74
Watch the first of seven clips from this full length film at NZ On Screen.
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games are held every four years. The 2022 games happened 28 July to 8 August in Birmingham, England. The 2026 games will be held in Victoria, Australia.
The Commonwealth is an association of 54 countries. It includes 2.1 billion citizens (about 30 per cent of the world’s population). The Commonwealth has three intergovernmental organisations: the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Foundation, and the Commonwealth of Learning. View more about Commonwealth members and country profiles.
