Thousands At Whenuapai To Welcome Snell Home

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29325, 3 October 1960, Page 14

Thousands At Whenuapai To Welcome Snell Home

(Aew Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 2. Olympic cheers made sweet music, but the triumphant welcome Auckland gave to the runner, P. G. Snell, and his coach, Mr A. L. Lydiard, at Whenuapai airport today was sweeter still. “This beats the lot,” Snell told the thousands of friends and wellwishers present at the airport. The welcome stirred him more than when New Zealand won its two gold medals at the Games, said Mr Lydiard.

The area directly in front of the airport terminal was packed with youngsters and adults, many of them holding aloft banners reading: “Te Awamutu welcomes Peter and Arthur”; “Welcome home to world’s top coach,” and “You’re a beaut Peter. Congratulations, Arthur.”

The colours of the returning pair’s club, Owairaka, were prominently displayed. Airport officials estimated that 800 to 1000 cars were parked at Whenuapai and they were certain it was the largest crowd ever to greet an incoming personality, including Royalty.

The Mayor of Mount Roskill (Mr K. Hay) told Snell and Mr Lydiard: “There is nowhere in the world where you are more welcome today than in Auckland. You have made our name famous throughout the world.” Mr Hay said that in the past 24 hours an anonymous Mount Roskill resident had given a

£lOOO to start a fund to build an all-weather training ground at May road in the borough. “A special meeting will be held on Tuesday night to get the bulldozers going and we intend to have the track ready by 1981,” said Mr Hay. “So you sportsmen will have something you deserve as a training track in your own district.”

Mr Lydiard was eager tor Snell to step into the limelight due to a gold medal winner and his words to the crowd were brief and to the point: "Given the opportunities and the benefit of

better facilities we can have more successes.”

Snell said, with a smile, he had hoped to sneak back home quietly. “Like Arthur, I am extremely nervous at the moment, more so than when I was out on the track at the Olympic Games.” Snell was delighted at the news of the £lOOO gift towards a new track and said: “If my gold medal has done anything to get that money for the club, then I’m glad I won it.” Formalities concluded. Snell and Mr Lydiard spent the next hour signing autographs and chatting with relatives and friends. Snell’s gold medal was handled and admired by dozens of children.

There was a final surprise for the two men when they arrived at Mr Lydiard’s house in Mount Roskill.

Stretched the full width of the street was a huge “welcomehome” banner, a tribute to the two sportsmen from the neighbours.