Murray Halberg

Sir Murray Halberg
ONZ MBE

Personal information

Birth name

Murray Gordon Halberg

Nationality

New Zealand

Born

7 July 1933 (age 83)
Eketahuna, New Zealand

Sport

Coached by

Bert Payne
Arthur Lydiard

Achievements and titles

Personal best(s)

1 mile: 3:57.5 (1958)
2 miles: 8:30.0 WR (1961)
3 miles: 13.10.0 WR (1961)
5000 m: 13:35.2 (1961)
10,000 m: 28:49.11 (1960)
1 mile relay: 16.23.8 WR (1961) (with Gary Philpott, Barry Magee & Peter Snell)

Medal record

Men's Athletics
Representing New Zealand
Olympic Games
	1960 Rome	5000 metres
Commonwealth Games
	1958 Cardiff	3 miles
	1962 Perth	3 miles

Sir Murray Gordon Halberg ONZ MBE (born 7 July 1933) is a former New Zealand middle distance runner who won the gold medal in the 5000 metres event at the 1960 Olympics. He also won gold medals in the 3 miles events at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games. He has worked for the welfare of children with disabilities since he founded the Halberg Trust in 1963.

Born in Eketahuna, Halberg later moved to Auckland, where he attended Avondale College. He was a rugby player in his youth, but suffered a severe injury during a game, leaving his left arm withered. The next year, he took up running, seemingly being only more motivated by his disability. In 1951, he met Arthur Lydiard, who became his coach. Lydiard had been a famous long-distance runner, and had new ideas on the training of athletes. Three years later, Halberg broke through, winning his first national title on the senior level.

At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games he placed fifth in the mile. At the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, he placed eleventh in the 1500 metres. Halberg became the first sub four-minute miler from New Zealand, and won the gold medal in the three miles at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He became New Zealand Sportsman of the Year for 1958.

For the 1960 Rome Olympics, Halberg focused on the longer distances, entering in the 5000 and 10000 m. Halberg won the 5000 m gold, on the same day countryman Peter Snell was victorious in the 800 m. Halberg later placed fifth in the 10,000 m.

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Wikipedia