Rome 1960: Kiwis win Olympic gold

MEMORIES: Vern Walker.

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It was a Saturday in New Zealand. We had just competed in the annual road race from Onehunga to the central business district of Auckland.

In the changing rooms in Quay St we excitedly exchanged the news of the Olympic victories.

Snell's win was a bolt out of the blue. In February, he had set a New Zealand record for 880 yards – or two laps. But this performance did nothing to suggest that he would even make the New Zealand team.

Surprisingly, in a race against 160 competitors – a relay lap of the Avondale Racecourse, he beat Halberg by four seconds to gain fastest time.

Halberg was a favourite to take the Olympic title over 5000 metres. In February, he had raced on a rough grass track in what is now Newmarket Park.

In those days the venue was known by the grandiose name of Olympic Stadium. Halberg covered the three miles in 13 minutes 11.4s, equivalent to 5000m in 13 minutes 37s. It would be the fastest time in the world for 1960. By way of variation Halberg – armed with a compass and a map – competed in an orienteering event on a hilly farm near Helensville.

In Rome, Snell faced the daunting prospect of four races in the space of only three days over 800 metres or two laps.

The stamina gained on his runs of over two hours around the Waitakere Ranges would play a vital factor in his performances.

Round one was contested by only four athletes. Everyone expected the unknown Snell to be eliminated. He survived in style in 1 minute 48.1s. In round two Snell came second to the world record holder Roger Moens of Belgium, in 1 minute 48.6s. In the semifinal Snell ran faster still as he just headed Moens in 1 minute 47.2s.

Then came the final at 4.45pm with Snell crouched in the outside lane.

Inside him were two Germans, Moens, Waegli of Switzerland and the much-fancied George Kerr of Jamaica. Waegli led coming up to the bell. Snell was off the pace harbouring his reserves. Then in the home stretch Moens took over, with Snell in the chasing pack.

But Moens was slowing down and so were the others. Momentarily Snell was boxed in, but right near the finish following ten lumbering strides Snell surged, leaning into the tape a bare two-tenths of a second ahead of the shocked Belgian.

The finish was so close that Snell was not sure whether or not he was the victor.

He had won the gold medal in an Olympic record of 1 minute 46.3s. And he had won running in shoes designed by Arthur Lydiard.

In the 5000 metres final at 5.10pm, Halberg justified the confidence of all the tipsters, but he had to work all-out.

Competing against Halberg were runners from Hungary, Poland, three Germans, two Australians, and athletes from France, Russia, Kenya, and Italy. In the first nine laps Halberg held back. With three laps remaining Halberg chose his killing ground and struck fast.

When Hans Grodotski of Germany recovered from the shock, he took off after the Kiwi. But Halberg hung on to his gradually diminishing lead to become the Olympic victor by a bare seven metres in 13 minutes 43.4s.

It was also a triumph for Arthur Lydiard that his charges should win such prized events in successive races on a rust-red track in Rome.

Eight days later, Barry Magee – another Lydiard-trained athlete – won bronze in the marathon.

- © Fairfax NZ News