Date: 18-26 JULY
Host: Wales
Countries: 35
Events: 94
Athletes: 1122

The VI Games marked the largest sporting event ever held in Wales and it was the smallest country ever to host a British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Cardiff had to wait 12 years longer than originally scheduled to become host of the Games, as the 1946 event was cancelled because of World War II.

The 1958 event also introduced the Queen’s Baton Relay. England’s famed middle distance runners, Roger Bannister and Chris Chattaway, were handed the honour of taking the Queen’s Baton from Buckingham Palace on the first stage of its journey to Wales.

Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,122 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games and 23 countries and dependencies won medals, including for the first time, Singapore, Ghana, Kenya and the Isle of Man.

Nine sports were featured in the Cardiff Games – Athletics, Boxing, Cycling, Fencing, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, Swimming and Diving, Weightlifting and Wrestling.