At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, the athletics events were held at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in July and August 1954. A total of 29 athletics events were contested at the Games, 20 by men and 9 by women. A total of twenty-four Games records were set or improved over the competition, leaving just five previous best marks untouched. The 1954 edition saw the introduction of the shot put and discus throw for women, as well as the first 4 × 110 yards relay for women (which replaced a medley relay).Commonwealth Games Medallists - Women. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-08-30.
The men's mile run competition – dubbed The Miracle Mile – represented a landmark in the history of the Four-minute mile. Roger Bannister had been the first to have broken the barrier earlier that year, but Landy followed soon after with sub-4 minute (and world record time) of his own. The games offered the first time that two sub-4 minute runners had duelled against each other. Landy led until the final curve, at which point he turned to gauge Bannister's position. Bannister took the opportunity to overtake him on his blind side and he edged out a victory over Landy with a time of 3:58.8 minutes. Landy also ran under four minutes, representing the first time two men had done so in the same race.Bryant, John (2005). 3:59.4: The Quest to Break the Four Minute Mile. Arrow Books Ltd. . A sculpture of the race-deciding moment was later placed outside the stadium in memory of the duel.
Jim Peters, then the world record holder in the marathon, entered the stadium some seventeen minutes ahead of his nearest rival in the Games marathon. However, he collapsed several times in his final lap of the stadium and did not finish the race which was won by Joe McGhee.Great Sporting Moments: Athletics. The Independent. Retrieved on 2010-08-30.
A new Commonwealth record for the high jump was established at the games by Emmanuel Ifeajuna of Nigeria, who became the first Commonwealth athlete to clear six feet and eight inches.John de St. Jorre, The Nigerian Civil War (Hodder and Stoughton Publishing: London, 1972) p. 31. Ifeajuna was also the first black African to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Medal summary Men + Medallists in the men's events with times, heights and distances; link to details of each event 9.6 =GR 9.7 9.7 21.5 21.5 21.9 47.2 GR 47.4 47.8 1:50.7 GR 1:51.2 1:51.9 3:58.8 GR 3:59.6 4:04.6 13:35.2 GR 13:37.2 13:37.4 29:09.4 GR 29:10.0 29:20.0 2:39:36 2:40:57 2:51:50 14.2 GR 14.9 14.9 52.4 GR 53.3 53.3Bruce SpringbettDon StonehouseHarry NelsonDon McFarlane 41.3 GRMuslim ArogundadeAbdul Karim AmuKarim OlowuEdward Ajado 41.3David LeanHector HoganBrian OliverKevan Gosper 41.7Peter HigginsAlan DickPeter FryerDerek Johnson 3:11.2 GRLaird SloanDouglas ClementJoe ForemanTerry Tobacco 3:11.6Brian OliverDon MacMillanDavid LeanKevan Gosper 3:16.0 2.03 m GR 1.99 m NR 1.99 m 4.26 m GR 4.20 m 4.13 m 7.54 m GR 7.39 m 7.22 m 15.28 m 15.25 m 15.14 m 16.77 m GR 14.95 m 14.93 m 51.70 m GR 49.53 m 47.84 m 55.37 m GR 54.75 m 52.81 m 68.52 m GR 68.09 m 67.50 m
Women + Medallists in the women's events with times, heights and distances; link to details of each event10.7w10.8w 10.8w24.0 GR24.525.0 10.9w11.2w11.2wGwen WallaceWinsome CrippsNancy FogartyMarjorie Jackson46.8 GRAnne PashleyHeather ArmitageShirley BurgessShirley Hampton46.9Margery SquiresDorothy KozakAnnabelle MurrayGeraldine Bemister47.81.67 m GR1.60 m1.60 m6.08 m GR5.84 m5.84 m13.96 m GR12.98 m12.81 m45.01 m GR40.02 m38.66 m43.83 m GR 41.97 m38.98 m
Medal table
Participating nations
(27) (3) (3) (1) (69) (39) (11) (7) (1) (4) (8) (9) (14) (9) (5) (3) (8) (6) (7) (1) (3) (5) (6)
References
Results Commonwealth Games Medallists - Men. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-08-30. Commonwealth Games Medallists - Women. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-08-30.
External links Bannister's "Miracle Mile" video from British Pathé