1938 British Empire Games
 | |
| Host city | Sydney, Australia |
|---|---|
| Nations | 15 |
| Athletes | 464 |
| Events | 71 |
| Opening | 5 February 1938 |
| Closing | 12 February 1938 |
| Opened by | John Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst |
| Main venue | Sydney Cricket Ground |
The 1938 British Empire Games were the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia, from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 years since the foundation of British settlement in Australia). Venues included the Sydney Cricket Ground (the main stadium), the North Sydney Olympic Pool and Henson Park. An estimated 40,000 people attended the opening ceremony. A men's residential village was established within the grounds of the Sydney Showground,[1][2] while the female athletes were housed in hotels.[3]
The star of the games was the Australian athlete Decima Norman, who won five gold medals in track and field. Margaret Dovey, later married to Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, finished sixth in the 220 yards breaststroke.
Due to the onset of World War II, the games were not held again until 1950.
Participating teams
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Medals by country
* Host nation (Australia)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Australia (AUS)* | 25 | 19 | 22 | 66 |
| 2 |  England (ENG) | 15 | 15 | 10 | 40 |
| 3 |  Canada (CAN) | 13 | 16 | 15 | 44 |
| 4 |  South Africa (SAF) | 10 | 10 | 6 | 26 |
| 5 |  New Zealand (NZL) | 5 | 7 | 13 | 25 |
| 6 |  Wales (WAL) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 |  Ceylon (CEY) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 |  Scotland (SCO) | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 9 |  British Guiana (BGU) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 |  Southern Rhodesia (SRH) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Totals (10 entries) | 71 | 71 | 71 | 213 | |
Sports
Venues
Sporting
- Sydney Cricket Ground (athletics)
- Sydney Sports Ground (athletics)[5]
- North Sydney Olympic Pool (swimming and diving)
- Henson Park, Marrickville (cycling, track)
- Centennial Park (cycling, road)
- Nepean River, Penrith (rowing)
- Rushcutters Bay Stadium (boxing and wrestling)
- Waverley Bowls Club, Waverley (lawn bowls)
Other
- Sydney Cricket Ground (opening ceremony)
- Sydney Showground (men's village)
- Lapstone Hill Hotel, Lapstone (rowing athletes)
- Centennial Park (closing ceremony)
See also
- 2000 Summer Olympics at Sydney, Australia
References
- ^ "Sydney 1938". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ "British Empire Games in Sydney 80 years ago was Australia's first major international event". insidethegames.biz. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ a b "An Empire Village". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 4 February 1938. Retrieved 24 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The 1938 Commonwealth Games". Lochista. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
- ^ "Boots Run In 880 Final Magnificent". The Telegraph Brisbane. 8 February 1938. p. 16. Retrieved 27 August 2025 – via Trove.
External links
- "Sydney 1938". Commonwealthsport.com. Commonwealth Sport.
- "Results and Medalists—1938 British Empire Games". Thecgf.com. Commonwealth Games Federation.
| Preceded by London |
British Empire Games Sydney III British Empire Games |
Succeeded by Auckland |
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