Snell gifts 14 treasures to Te Papa

Kiwi’s two Olympic golds among items to go on display at national museum

Olympic legend Sir Peter Snell is donating 14 of his most prized possessions to Te Papa Museum, including two Olympic gold medals. Also among the donations is the handmade right shoe Snell wore to win gold at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Italy.

The shoe was made by his running coach, Arthur Lydiard.

The donation comes nearly a year after a controversial auction at the museum for a singlet Snell was thought to have worn at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964.

It turned out the singlet was fake after millionaire businessman Chris Liddell and Te Papa boss Rick Ellis put in a winning bid of nearly $140,000.

Snell’s latest donation will be a formal affair at the national museum in Wellington on Tuesday, April 18, kicking off with a private powhiri at Te Papa’s marae for the legendary runner, his wife, two daughters and two granddaughters, before the display is opened.

The shoe and two golds will be on show at Te Papa from April 18 until July 23, and all 14 items will be part of New Zealand’s national history collection in perpetuity. Peter Snell’s two Olympic golds (right) and one of the shoes he wore in winning them (inset) will be among taonga he is donating. Ellis said yesterday that the museum was humbled by Snell’s decision to donate the items to the national collection. “Te Papa is incredibly excited to receive these pieces of our sporting history, and be able to share them with New Zealanders,” he said. “We are looking forward to welcoming Sir Peter and his family on to our marae, and celebrating his gift to the nation.” Ellis said Snell was excited about the opportunity to share the items, and their stories, with young New Zealanders.

“As well as seeing these items up close and personal in the museum, Te Papa can bring Peter Snell’s story to life, using video and digital storytelling,” Ellis said.

“Every kid in New Zealand will be able to get a taste of the determination and grit that took Sir Peter Snell to the top.”

Te Papa history curator Stephanie Gibson says the items are incredibly significant for New Zealand.

“These objects represent not only the pinnacle of Sir Peter’s career, but the absolute pinnacle of New Zealand’s sporting history.”

Gibson has been working closely with Snell to put arrangements in place for the donation.

“Sir Peter has been so generous with his time and we are really humbled that he has chosen Te Papa as the place to care for these treasured items,” she said.

Along with the first three Olympic items, Snell is donating three world record plaques, a tankard for the mile world record in Whanganui, 1962, New Zealand Sportsman of the Year Award trophy, 1960 and 1964, Sydney Olympic Games torch, 2000, as well as Commonwealth Games medals and insignia relating to his obtaining a New Zealand Order of Merit and other awards.