Talk:Peter Snell
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[edit] No Bugles, No Drums.
(Added in the article by User:Kinkyguamprofessor, Not really encyclopaediac, but a nice read)
Snell's 800 m WR is legendary. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest performances in track and field history, possibly the greatest ever. To athletes who understand the unique challenge of the 800, Snell's performance is magnificent, thrilling and inspiring. This is the Perfect Race, the performance of a running genius at his peak. At Christchurch on 3 Feb 1962, Snell lined up on the grass track at what is now Jade Stadium - in what was supposed to be a low key race. The gun went, and... "In less than 50 yards, I realised we were travelling at a suicidal pace and that the pace-making was going to be of no benefit to me at all. In desperation I yelled after Barry[Robinson], "Wait!" but it was futile. He didn't hear me. The track was hard and fast and I was able to stretch out and keep him within five yards down the back straight without actually sprinting, although I was not far from it. I drew on a little more effort round the bottom curve to trail him coming up the straight. In my effort to make this contact, I completely lost track of my pace judgement and I listened hard to pick up the threads as we came up to the bell. I expected to hear the timekeeper chanting seconds beginning with "fifty..." but the first call I heard was "forty..." The fifty came up as I went past them. Now, for some unaccountable reason, Barry moved out a lane. I was thinking with particular clarity now - probably stimulated by that fantastic time - and instead of being shocked into easing back or coasting, I quickly realised that I was feeling as good as or better than I had in many of my other races when I'd passed through the quarter two or three seconds slower. So, through some crazy impulse, I threw away all text-book procedure and sprinted. This was pure effort against the stopwatch now. Into the back straight, I still felt myself travelling fast and I was sharply aware that I was well inside both world records as far as I'd gone. It was only a matter of being able to continue..." From "No Bugles, No Drums." Snell, P. and Gilmour, G. 1965.
