Arthur Lydiard of New Zealand who coached Olympic champions Peter Snell and Murray Halberg, and held national coaching positions in Finland, Denmark, Venezuela and Mexico, so inspiring a generation of the world’s finest middle and long distance runners was honoured last weekend by Athletics New Zealand.
 
The Board Room at QBE Insurance erupted with the laughter of over thirty of New Zealand’s top athletes from the 1950s-60s and 70s who were coached and mentored by Arthur Lydiard, when “the great one” realized the small function he had arrived at to celebrate his Life membership to Athletics New Zealand was a little more than that.

Lydiard was spirited into the QBE offices by his wife Joeline, long after the group had gathered, to be greeted by the many athletes and coaches along with daughter Fay and  sons Bruce and Gary.

The group was welcomed by Athletics NZ General Manager John Stewart who reflected on the present Board and Management’s wish to see the country’s greatest coach formally acknowledged while Patron of the sport, Yvette Corlett, spoke of Lydiard’s huge impact on athletics, individual athletes and the health of the nation.

President of Athletics New Zealand, Don Willoughby, presented the Life Membership plaque to Lydiard accompanied by cheers and applause from the group.

With only Peter Snell and the late John Davies not present from the Lydiard squads that took on and conquered the national and world distance running scene from the late 1950s onward, the attendance list read like a who’s who of the sport, including Bill Baillie, Jeff Julian, Ray Puckett, Sir Murray Halberg, Heather Matthews, Bill Sutcliffe, Dave Sirl, Mike Ryan, Brian Tyler, Merv Hellier, Clive Henderson, Roy Williams, Don Willoughby, Les and Colleen Mills,  Roy Williams, David Cosgrove and many more.   

Best wishes were received from Peter Snell, Lorraine Moller and Anne Audain as well as  longtime friend, Colin Kay all of whom wished they could have been present but were unable to travel from their USA bases.

Most notably Lydiard coached Peter Snell, the multiple World record breaker to three Olympic crowns, the 800m in 1960 and the 800m/1500m double in 1964, and Murray Halberg to the 1960 Olympic 5000m gold medal. 

However, those feats only give a taste of the achievements of the man who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Athletics coaches of all-time -

National title for the marathon in 1953, 1955. Coached Peter Snell, Murray Halberg, Barry Magee, Jeff Julian, Bill Baillie, John Davies and Dick Tayler to their greatest victories. Developed an endurance training schedule by taxing his own body. New Zealand Olympic Coach 1964, Danish Olympic Coach 1972 and one of the 1974 Commonwealth Games Athletic Coaches. Also National Coach for Venezuela 1970, '72, Finland 1967 - 69 and Mexico 1965. Honoured with Elite Order of New Zealand.
       
Click here for the official Lydiard web site