Snell’s running treasures to be donated in April
Te Papa will take possession of two golden New Zealand sporting treasures in three weeks, when running legend Sir Peter Snell donates his sporting memorabilia to the national museum.
Snell, 78, will donate gold medals from the 1960 Rome and 1964 Tokyo Olympics to Te Papa on April 18, when he is home from Texas for the World Masters Games.
His shock Rome gold was won over 800m on the day Murray Halberg won the 5000m. He was at the peak of his powers in 1964 when he won the 800m and 1500m. One of his Tokyo medals is in the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame museum, in Dunedin.
Snell will present Te Papa with ‘‘taonga’’ - medals, trophies and awards - then open a public display of his Olympic medals, museum chief executive Rick Ellis said in his formal invitation.
Two students from Mount Albert Grammar, his former school alongside Te Aroha College, would introduce him and outline his career background.
It will be one of the last formal jobs for Ellis, himself a MAGS old boy, as the next day will be his last at Te Papa.
Snell will compete in table tennis with wife Miki at the World Masters Games, which start in Auckland on April 21.
His donate followed a furore last year over a black singlet purportedly worn by Snell at Tokyo, which Te Papa was on the verge of buying for $122,000.
The sale feel through when Te Papa could not satisfy itself as to the authenticity of the singlet.
‘‘Our inquiries have shown that the singlet is not the one worn by Peter Snell at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games,’’ it said.
After that, Snell said would like to gift his other Tokyo gold and and his 1960 Rome 800m gold medal to Te Papa.
A heart condition has affected Snell. Following his collapse on the racketball court seven years ago and a cardiomyopathy diagnosis, he has turned to table tennis.