Wellington (AFP)
New Zealand middle distance athlete Peter Snell, three-time Olympic gold medalist, has died in the United States at the age of 80, his entourage announced on Saturday.
Snell, protege of the famous trainer Arthur Lydiard - considered the + father + of jogging and new training methods for athletes based on endurance-, was the most dominant middle distance runner of his time.
He won gold in the only three Olympic events he competed in: the 800 meters in Rome in 1960 and the 800 meters and 1,500 meters in Tokyo four years later.
He was the first male athlete to win the 800m / 1,500m double at the Olympic Games since 1920, a feat no male athlete has achieved since.
"He is probably the greatest athlete New Zealand has ever known," sports historian Ron Palenski told AFP.
Close to Peter Snell, Mr. Palenski said he was informed of the death by Mr. Snell's wife.
According to Miki Snell, the couple were about to go shopping when "Peter fell asleep, which is not unusual for him. But he did not wake up," said Palenski.
Peter Snell had suffered from heart problems for several years and had not been able to honor a recent invitation to an athletics gala in Monaco.
Peter Snell was elected "champion of the century" in New Zealand and was one of the first 24 members of the Hall of Fame of the International Athletics Federation (IAAF).
© 2019 AFP