Peter Snell World Record 800m, 880yds

Peter Snell, New Zealand's greatest ever athlete, breaks World Records for 800m and 880yards at Christchurch New Zealand in 1962

[@sunnydays5581]

1.44.3 on grass! 60 years ago. Imagine today's improvements, the shoe technology, the track etc. Minimum 2 seconds A truly unique athlete. Thighs of a 400m sprinter, engine of a marathon runner

[@booklover3959]

Peter Snell will forever go down as one of the true legends. What an amazing achievement to run this time way back then on grass! He ran with so much POWER. He was trained to run through the mountains of New Zealand like a marathon runner to build up his endurance. Every second of his fast times was earned with painful sweat.

[@torunit4620]

And this is STILL the New Zealand National Record. Consider all the great athletes that have attempted to better it over all this time and all the great tracks they have had the opportunity to run on with their high tech shoes and advanced training techniques. I think this must be one of the longest lived national records anywhere in the world.

[@mikev4621]

It went in May 2024

[@paulwilliams8389]

Always difficult to compare athletes from different eras but I still rate Snell as the greatest 800m runner of all time.

[@johnwilson5743]

I had the honour of, 5 years later, running on that same track. Peter Snell had signed a note to me, at the request of my mother, saying "Good luck John". He was staying at the hotel that my mother worked at and was due to help commentate the next day. That grass track was lightning fast. (I ran 3rd in an 800m in case your were wondering! LOL) But ummm slightly slower than his time. (OK. A lot slower. LOL)

[@SkyBlueKangaroo]

That’s on grass?! Imagine what kind of time that would equate to today.

[@erikpeterson25]

Honesty is good 👍

[@booklover3959]

I am sure you treasure that note!

[@johnwilson5743]

@@booklover3959 TY. Yes, I still have it, along with his autograph, plus Kip Keino's and others who all visited. Cheers.

[@marksignorell3339]

What dignity ahletes gave off in those long lost days when sport was about more than money.

[@shanenewton2687]

A Gentleman ahead of his time..PURE GRIT MR. LYDIARD also THE LEGEND..KIWIANA

[@johnwilson5743]

Oh, forgot to mention that Kip Keino ran, and won, the 1500m just after my race. I spoke with him and he said he loved the grass track. This was 1967 and he was training in New Zealand in preparation for his Olympic Games quest in 1968 in the 1500m. We all know that he dominated and won the Gold.

[@empolemos]

Thanks for sharing

[@peterseeley1815]

How cool is that. Big fan of late 60's middle distance runners. Ben Jipcho, Kim Keino, Jim Ryan great times, cinder tracks here in the US.

[@KingLiopleurodon]

Fabulous! 1:44.3!! One of the greatest runs in history. The indomitable SNELL at the peak of his power, so much better than the best of the rest of the world... thanks for this great footage, it's ultra-valuable to everyone who knows greatness... because now we can see a good proportion of the entire race and this enriches Snell's NO BUGLES narrative of this epic race... "In less than 50 yards I realized the pace was suicidal.. Barry! Wait!... the first call I heard began with "forty...".. now for some unaccountable reason, Barry moved out a lane... I threw caution to the wind and sprinted.. I didn't need to hear the call to know I'd broken the records.." Still the fastest 800 ever run on a grass track - and bearing in mind the Kenyan national championships were run on grass until the early 90s, a spectacular accomplishment. Snell leaves this world still in possession of the NZ National Record now after 58 years..... the oldest recognized NR for a standard track event. So now you're inspired, what are you waiting for? Get after it, Kiwis!

[@aguyfromnewzealand3392]

Absolutely insane what he achieved that day! John Walker 1976 Olympic 1500m champion was the closest with a second behind his time, but no one has threatened it. Willis tried as well. A couple of current kiwi runners with high 1:46s but that's still a fair way off in the world of 800m. Brad Mathas and James Preston. Jason Stewart was the last kiwi 800m to make the Olympics in 2004 with a PB 1:46.19.

[@hummingbirdvideophoto]

Great footage - I remember watching him race at Western Springs!

[@Landatj]

so did i

[@APBCTechnique]

1.44.3 on grass, it’s incredible

[@PrentisHancock1]

Wow! Amazing footage! Thank you, thank you!

[@stevebbuk]

Yes what respect for the guy and sorry I only just knew him too late.

[@erikpeterson25]

One of the greatest !

[@APBCTechnique]

It’s worth a 1:42 on a modern track. This guy is up there with Coe Rudisha, Kipketer, Cruz and Amos

[@KlamparDafenrad]

And this stood as an NZ record until 2024

[@user-wy8sj3ed3f]

Один из самых великих рекордов в лёгкой атлетике, ведь показан он на травяной дорожке! Беги Снелл на современном Мондо, в современных шиповках результат был бы минимум 1.42

[@paulclarke7571]

You know you are fast when you lap your competition in an 800m.

[@ashleymey3144]

Remember seeing him run when he came to South Africa

[@aguyfromnewzealand3392]

Crazy to think that Lancaster park which was formerly AMI stadium before the Christchurch earthquakes 11 years ago has now just been opened as a park area with no stands. At least there hasn't been a shopping mall built there haha

[@johnrogan9420]

A grass track on a perfect day in New 🇳🇿 Zealand. 🎯

[@Jeanemilr-hn7tj]

Un idole De mes jeunes années,

[@PCgonemad-ih9pr]

Wow!!

[@hewzie]

Hey Roger, I watched him at Western Springs, too. A long time ago. I remember on that night watching women’s 100m also. Was Peter Snell running against Kip Keino?

[@Harriawolff]

Yes, it happened in Tokyo, Keino won 3-rd heat in 1500m, Snell qualified fourth. In No Bugles No Drums he speaks about the runner from Kenya whom Holtz, O'Hara and Snell didn't want to chase, it was Keino.

[@chrisestey7277]

I remember the days of dirt tracks and yards.

[@mathematics5573]

What would he have run in the 2000s? 1.41/1.40?

[@GammaFZ]

1:42

[@mathematics5573]

1.39?

[@user-xb5fz3kr1w]

Хотелось бы узнать у Роджера Милза, когда он смотрел этот ролик 10 месяцев назад звук был, глупый вопрос, конечно был, а вот у меня мать вашу звука не было, только видео картинка, кто то посчитал, что мне и так повезло, скажи мол спасибо, как по английски сказать благодарю вас миледи

[@andre1987eph]

my legs hurt just watching this ( grass track)

[@jonjenkins]

Audio commentary ?

[@pkmr5284]

So, how did y'all determine "1:44.3"??? Google??? Or did you just see it before & remember? That could be; I still remember Jim Ryun running the World Record time of "3:51.1" in 1967 when he was "20" years old; I think he ran sub-4 min mile ... "5" times in high school!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!! ** WAAAAAAAYYYYYYY OFF-THE-CHART!!! **

[@roybean7166]

So did this record stand till Marcello Fiasconaro broke it in 73, or was there a time in between ?

[@chrisbarclay3112]

Peter Snell's record was equalled by Ralph Doubell of Australia, when winning the 1968 Olympic final, and again by Dave Wottle (USA) in 1972. Then, of course, Fiasconaro took half a second off the record in 1973. Then who could forget Juantorena breaking that record in the 1976 Olympics? Ah, those were the days!

[@waynehentley4332]

@@chrisbarclay3112 Ralph Dubbell?🤔🤔

[@johnwilson5743]

@@chrisbarclay3112 I just stumbled over these old comments. I was in the stadium, sadly only watching, not competing, at those games in Montreal in 1976. Juantorena was a beast that day. cheers.

[@harryjames3905]

I used to run the 800.. what was his time??

[@avtours9006]

800m 1-44.3 880yds 1-45.1 (On grass!)