A total of 44 events were contested, of which 22 by male 19 by female athletes.

The competition saw both the rise and fall of Horace Dove-Edwin, a sprinter from Sierra Leone.

He became his country's first Commonwealth medallist with an unexpected silver medal behind Linford Christie in the 100 metres.

He had not attended the opening ceremony as his country did not have enough money for a uniform and his story attracted much public sympathy and attention from the press.

His meteoric rise (improving from 10.34 seconds to 10.02 over two days) was swiftly punctured as he was banned for two years after his doping test came back positive for the steroid stanozolol.