Barry Magee

Described by his iconic coach Arthur Lydiard as the “ballet dancer of the road” Arthur ‘Barry’ Magee’s smooth, easy style earned him a treasure trove of success on both the domestic and international stage.

During a prodigious career, the Auckland grocer claimed the 1960 Olympic marathon bronze medallist, headed the world 10,000m rankings in 1961 and also featured as a member of New Zealand’s world record-breaking quartet which shattered the world four by one mile relay record in Dublin.

Since retiring from international running in 1965, Barry has stayed wedded to the sport, carving a reputation as one of the country’s most influential distance running coaches in which Lydiard’s high mileage training model forms the template of his philosophy.
Born in New Plymouth, Magee, “a shy, scared, skinny kid” moved to the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill at the age of seven. Bullied at school he said “I was not a happy boy and lacked everything required to be a success ...