Going the Distance

Going the Distance - 1979 is an Academy Award nominated documentary about the 1978 Commonwealth Games. The National Film Board of Canada produced the movie and Paul Cowan was the director and writer. Michael Kane performed as the narrator. The British Commonwealth nations hold this sports event every four years. The Games began in 1930 and is the biggest competition after the Olympics and Asian Games. 71 teams participate in the events. Athletes compete in British games like lawn bowls, rugby and netball as well as worldwide games like track, swimming and gymnastics.

These 1978 Commonwealth games used the first computerized system for ticket sales. Nigeria boycotted this game due to New Zealand and the country's sports ties to South Africa. In 1976, Montreal Canada hosted the Olympics.

In 1978, the Commonwealth Games was held in the city of Edmonton, in Alberta Canada. The documentary features eight athletes. Four participants hailed from Canada: Toronto boxer John Raftery, Winnipeg gymnast Monica Goermann, diver Linda Cuthbert from Toronto and diver Janet Nutter from Ontario. Most athletes hoped to compete in the boycotted 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.

During the 1978 Commonwealth Games, John Raftery won a bronze medal in the light welterweight division. He stared in a 1980 documentary short biography.

Monica Goermann and her gymnastics team won the gold medal. She also tied with Sherry Hawco for an individual silver medal. She won fifth place at the 1978 Spartakiade Competition in the former Soviet Union.

Linda Cuthbert won a gold medal in the women's 10 meters platform high board. Cuthbert is a Commonwealth Games administrator and was on the selection committee for Canada's 2002 bid for the games.

Janet Nutter won a gold medal in the women's 3 meters platform high board. She won a bronze medal in the 1979 Pan Am games and a silver medal in the 1979 World Cup.