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Supremely strong middle-distance runner who was the last man to win 800m and 1500m gold medals at the same Olympics
The New Zealander Peter Snell, who has died of a heart attack aged 80, was a colossus in the world of athletics who won three Olympic gold medals in middle-distance running during the early 1960s.
Having won the 800 metres at the Rome Olympics of 1960 as an almost unknown 21-year-old, Snell went on to set a world mile record of 3min 54.4sec (on grass) in 1962, and then a world 800m record of 1:44.3 (also on turf). He arrived at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as carrier of his nation’s flag at the opening ceremony, and was favourite to win the first Olympic 800m/1500m double by a man since Great Britain’s Albert Hill had achieved the feat in Antwerp 44 years earlier. Continue reading...