SNELL, PETER

born Dec. 17, 1938, Opunake, N.Z. in full Peter George Snell New Zealand middle-distance runner who was a world-record holder in the 800-metre race (196268), the 1,000-metre race (196465), the mile (196265), the 880-yard race (196266), and, as a team member, in the 4 1-mile relay race (1961). After graduating from Mount Albert Grammar School (Auckland), Snell trained under Arthur Lydiard, who stressed running long distances in training to establish endurance. At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Snell won the gold medal in the 800-metre race. In 1961 and 1962 Snell competed internationally and in the latter year set his 800-metre world record (1 min 44.3 sec), a world record for the 880-yard race (1 min 45.1 sec), and a mile record (3 min 54.4 sec, lowered in 1964 to 3 min 54.1 sec). At the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, he won the gold medals in both the 800- and 1,500-metre races. In 1965 Snell retired from running; his autobiography, No Bugles, No Drums, was published that year, and he became director of a sports foundation set up by a tobacco company in New Zealand. In 1974, having studied exercise physiology in England, he entered the University of California at Davis to continue his education in that field.