Snell’s generosity matched his greatness
Three incidents showed young triathlete Michael Poole just what a good man Sir Peter Snell was.
In October 2012 I had a triathlon coming up on the pro circuit in Dallas. It was called the US Open and it was a huge privilege to take on greats like Bevan Docherty and Hunter Kemper.
With a few weeks to go my accommodation fell through and I contacted Kiwi Expats Abroad (KEA) in Dallas for help. Much to my surprise, not too much later my email pinged with an offer from Sir Peter Snell to host me.
Having grown up in a sports-mad home and been coached by the late great Jack Ralston, I knew so many of the Snell stories and his results inside out. Our greatest Olympian, world record-breaker, still the fastest Kiwi over 800m. So popular in the 1960s that 40,000 would turn up to Eden Park to watch him run. Then he became a hard-working and lateblooming academic who in his mid-70s was still researching exercise physiology.
As I flew into Love Field I was quaking
Michael Poole says his weekend with Sir Peter Snell in Dallas in 2012 was a great privilege.
in my boots. A few months before I had been invited to race and do the press conferences for a triathlon with Lance Armstrong – before the confession. It had been quite an experience.
But to this Kiwi kid, Snell was the legend. As he walked towards me and put his hand out with the archetypal Kiwi grin on his face the nerves fled – not only a legend but a gentleman too.
We drove to the house of Sir Peter and Miki Snell, beautifully cared for with gardens they both clearly loved to share the work on. Sir Peter confessed that he enjoyed having the occasional Kiwi to stay as it helped him confirm to Miki that it wasn’t just him who had some strange traits – they were common to all Kiwis. I have to say we conspired somewhat and exaggerated things at Miki’s expense.
They were the nicest couple and the very best hosts you could imagine. They were interested in me, my family, stories from New Zealand, Jack Ralston. They also were generous sharing about their lives and clearly deeply in love.
Three incidents stood out. The first was on the Friday night when Sir Peter accompanied me to the prerace meeting for the professional athletes. When he entered he simply changed the room.
I had the great privilege of introducing him to double Olympic medallist Docherty and other stunned athletes. He loved having the chance to meet them, and to see two greats like Bevan and Sir Peter talking of their experiences was both humbling and inspirational.
The second was when Sir Peter took me into his office to talk deeply on training and competing. His coach had been Arthur Lydiard, and Ralston had also been a Lydiard athlete, so it was deeply insightful and he was happy to take the time to share his knowledge. He showed me his gold medals and a trophy he had received for breaking the world mile record.
He remained deeply proud of what he had achieved in sport and for his dearly loved NZ. I will never forget seeing the medals and hearing of the races in the company of the man himself.
The third moment was during the triathlon. It was a tough field and at 21 I was the youngest by a margin. I swam quite well, had a glitch on the bike but was still fifth-quickest, and was running in 10th when I began to really feel it with 2km to go. I vaguely sensed someone beside me on a bike but I was in full stareinto-space mode. Then I heard ‘‘C’mon Mike’’.
When you suddenly realise Sir Peter Snell is riding a mountain bike next to you in support you are no longer tired. I held that 10th place.
The weekend was a great privilege and we stayed in touch. Sir Peter deserves to be a wonderful New Zealand legend and was truly a good man. I hope Miki gets ongoing love from NZ for she loved Peter, his Kiwiness included, and has been so supportive of his giving to NZ causes over many years.