The 1964 Tokyo Olympiad

With the Olympics in Tokyo next year, there was much discussion in the party on the 1964 Olympiad there.

We Brits produced 4 gold winners (Lynn “The Leap” Davies, Ken Matthews the marathon walker, Ann Packer in the 800m and Mary Rand in athletics and long jump.

I argued the case that Mary Rand is our greatest ever female athlete.

However I had to concede to our Kiwi friends that nothing compares to the double gold of New Zealand middle distance runner Peter Snell who became the first man to win golds in 800m and 1500m since 1920.

In a short career (1960–65) Peter Snell dominated middle distance.

We talk of the legendary All Blacks but a country of under 5 million population have produced non pareils in other sports like cricketers Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe, Kane Williamson and in golf Bob Charles and Michael Campbell.

Peter Snell may have been has been voted greatest New Zealand sportsman ever in their Hall of Fame.