Peter Snell

Sir Peter George Snell, born on 17 December 1938 in Opunake and died on 12 December 2019, was a New Zealand middle-distance runner who won three Olympic gold medals. Coached by Arthur Lydiard, he won the 800 metres at the Rome Olympics in 1960 and then, at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, won both the 800 and 1500 metres, the only man since 1920 to take that double at one Games. His career at the top lasted only from 1960 to 1965, but it brought him two Commonwealth Games gold medals and several world records. He was voted New Zealand Sports Champion of the 20th Century and was one of 24 inaugural members of the International Association of Athletics Federations Hall of Fame in 2012.