19 Facts About Peter Snell

Sir Peter George Snell was a New Zealand middle-distance runner.

Peter Snell won three Olympic gold medals, and is the only man since 1920 to have won the 800 and 1500 metres at the same Olympics, in 1964.

Peter Snell won several middle-distance running events in his hometown of Te Aroha, although some members of his new school lived in Ngaruawahia.

Peter Snell came to international attention with his gold medal in the 800 metres at the Rome Olympics in 1960, setting a new national record.

Peter Snell was particularly dominant four years later at the Tokyo Olympics where he won the gold and set a new Olympic record in the and won gold in the 1500 metres.

In early 1962, Peter Snell lowered the world mile record by a tenth of a second at Cooks Gardens in Whanganui on and one week later set new world records for both the 800 m and 880 yards at He then won gold and set a new record for 880 yd at the Commonwealth Games in Perth in 1962, and won gold for the mile at those same games.

Peter Snell worked for a tobacco company and lived in Mount Albert, before moving to the United States of America in 1971 to further his education.

Peter Snell joined University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas as a research fellow in 1981.

Peter Snell was associate professor, Department of Internal Medicine and director of their Human Performance Center.

Peter Snell was a past president of the North Texas Orienteering Association and a member of the United States Orienteering Federation.

Peter Snell became a competitive table tennis player including competing in Texas state and US championship events and the 2017 World Masters Games in Auckland, New Zealand.

Peter Snell died at his home in Dallas on 12 December 2019, just five days short of turning 81.

Peter Snell was voted New Zealand's Sports Champion of the Century in 2000 and was knighted soon afterwards.

Peter Snell was one of five Olympic athletes from New Zealand featured on a series of commemorative postage stamps issued in August 2004 to commemorate the 2004 Olympic Games.

Peter Snell was selected by Track and Field News' as their "Athlete of the '60's" and was pictured on the cover of the December 1969 issue.

The statue is based on a photo of Peter Snell crossing the finish line in the historic race at Wanganui's Cook's Gardens in 1962.

Peter Snell was inducted into the Taranaki Sports Hall of Fame at the Taranaki Sports Awards 2021.

Peter Snell Drive, in the Hamilton suburb of Chartwell, is named in Peter Snell's honour.

Peter Snell Street is a street in the Bay of Plenty town of Whakatane.