The Queen attends her first Commonwealth Games

The Edinburgh 1970 British Commonwealth Games proved to be the Games of many firsts.

The Edinburgh 1970 Games, the first Games to be hosted in Scotland, were not only the first Commonwealth Games the to use metric distances and electronic photo-finish technology for their events but they were the first Commonwealth Games that HM Queen Elizabeth II attended in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth.

Also, the Edinburgh 1970 Games saw the first unique Games trademark logo: an emblem showing the Games emblem intertwined with a St. Andrews Cross and a thistle.

The Games will also be well remembered for the two Scottish brothers, Ian and Peter Stewart, who delighted the home crowd by both winning gold medals: Peter in the 1,500 metres and Ian in the 5,000m.

A week later, the brothers went head to head in the Emsley Carr Mile at Meadowbank. The race was dubbed "Oh brother". In the tightest of finishes, both brothers were given the same time of 3min 57.4sec. The verdict eventually went to Ian although Peter did go on to win the prestigious Emsley Carr Mile on another two occasions.

Another popular figure on the track was Jamaican sprinter Don Quarrie who completed the sprint double by wining gold in both the 100m and 200m events.

A lasting success of the Edinburgh 1970 British Commonwealth Games was the purpose-built Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh. So well designed was the pool that the people of Edinburgh still use it to this day. It comprises a 50m-long main natatorium, which continues to hold competitions of international status, a separate diving pool, a teaching pool and for leisure use, a set of water flumes, a sauna and health-club facilities.*

Date Games held: July 16-25

Number of nations represented: 42

Number of competitors: 1,383

Number of medals awarded: 375