The late Sir Peter Snell will be remembered at the same venue on the day (January 27) 58 years after he broke the world mile record at Cooks Gardens in Whanganui.
A tribute event has been organised to honour the late Sir Peter Snell KNZM OBE, commemorating his record-breaking World Mile at Cooks Gardens in Whanganui in 1962.
Whanganui District Council, along with Athletics Wanganui and the Whanganui Sports Heritage Trust, will celebrate Sir Peter's outstanding sporting achievements on Monday, January
27, the 58th anniversary of his record-breaking mile in Whanganui.
"Sir Peter is New Zealand's Sports Champion of the 20th Century and his record-breaking World Mile at Whanganui 58 years ago will be inscribed forever as one of the most remarkable and memorable occasions that the people of Whanganui have ever witnessed," Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said.
She said the free event is intended to be a respectful tribute to Sir Peter, who passed away in the United States on December 12, 2019, and who always remained supportive of athletics in Whanganui.
"The people of Whanganui will remember Sir Peter as the person who made the name of 'Cooks Gardens, Whanganui' world-famous when he set the world one-mile record of 3m 54.4s on January 27, 1962," Russell Sears, of the Whanganui Sports Heritage Trust, said.
