Sir Peter Snell
Named New Zealand’s Sports Champion of the 20th Century, perhaps no athlete in the history of Kiwi athletics holds quite the same reverential status as middle-distance icon Sir Peter Snell.
A three-time Olympic gold medallist, double Commonwealth champion and six-time world record breaker his achievements under the revolutionary training methods of Arthur Lydiard formed the centrepiece of a golden era of New Zealand endurance running.
Born in Opunake, Taranaki on December 17, 1938 sport formed an important part of Snell’s life from a young age. He played rugby, badminton, cricket, golf and hockey and became a champion tennis player. During his time attending Mt Albert Grammar School in Auckland he had also showed promise as a middle-distance athlete, placing third over the 880yrds and mile distance at the Inter Secondary school sports.
He first met Lydiard at the age of 17 after a house boy at Mount Albert Grammar invited him along for a training run at ...