Tokyo Olympic Games gold medal

This gold medal was won by New Zealander Peter Snell in either the 800 or 1500 metre races at the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in 1964 (the medals are not inscribed with the actual event. His other gold medal is held by the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in Dunedin). Winning both the 800m and 1500m is a very rare achievement, and Snell remains the only man since 1920 to have won both races at the same Olympic Games.

When Sir Peter gifted this medal to Te Papa in 2017, he noted that his victories at Tokyo were a 'demonstration of what I could do'. They were also a relief as he was considered the favourite as he had previously won gold in the 800m at the Rome Olympics in 1960.

Snell was named New Zealand Sportsman of the Year in both 1960 and 1964.

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 originally by Giuseppe Cassioli (1865-1942, Italy).