Rome Olympic Games gold medal

This gold medal was won by New Zealander Peter Snell in the 800 metre race at the Rome Summer Olympic Games in 1960. He was relatively unknown at this point, but instantly became an international athlete and a national celebrity (some of the gilt has worn away because it was touched by so many people when he came home). He was named New Zealand Sportsman of the Year for 1960. He went on to win two more golds at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 in an unrepeatable double of the men's 800m and 1500m.

When Sir Peter gifted this medal to Te Papa in 2017, he noted it was his 'most treasured' object because the Rome victory 'changed my life'. 'It represents my being brought out of obscurity into my career as a runner taking off.'

Sir Peter Snell

Sir Peter Snell (1938-2019) was one of the world’s greatest athletes in one of the world’s most admired sports – middle-distance running. In 2000 he was named New Zealand’s Sports Champion of the 20th Century. During his running career he won three Olympic gold medals, two British Empire and Commonwealth Games gold medals (at Perth in 1962), and set six world records. In 2002 he was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sport, becoming Sir Peter in 2009.

Snell was a pupil of the master coach Arthur Lydiard who was responsible for the finest era in New Zealand athletics from 1951-66.

Design

The medal features classical imagery of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, on one side, and young jubilant athletes on the reverse. From 1928 to 1968, Summer Olympic medals all featured this same design by Giuseppe Cassioli (1865-1942, Italy). The 1960 Summer Olympics were the first time that medals were worn around the neck, in this case with a chain (previously medals were large coins). After 1960, Olympic medals were worn on ribbons.