Murray Halberg facts for kids
.jpg)
Halberg in 2008
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Murray Gordon Halberg | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 July 1933 Eketāhuna, New Zealand |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 30 November 2022 (aged 89) Auckland, New Zealand |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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: 28:33.0 (1964) 4 x 1 mile relay: 16.23.8 WR (1961) (with Gary Philpott, Barry Magee & Peter Snell) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Sir Murray Gordon Halberg (7 July 1933 – 30 November 2022) was a famous New Zealand runner. He won a gold medal in the 5000 metres race at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He also won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 1958 and 1962. After his running career, he started the Halberg Trust in 1963. This trust helps children with disabilities get involved in sports and activities.
Contents
His Early Life and Running Journey
Murray Halberg was born in Eketāhuna, New Zealand, on 7 July 1933. Later, his family moved to Auckland, where he went to Avondale College. When he was younger, he played rugby. During a game, he had a serious injury that affected his left arm.
After his injury, he started running. This challenge actually made him more determined. In 1951, he met Arthur Lydiard, who became his coach. Lydiard was a well-known long-distance runner. He had new and clever ideas about how to train athletes. Just three years later, Murray Halberg won his first national running title.
Olympic and Commonwealth Games Success
In 1954, Murray Halberg competed in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He finished fifth in the mile race. At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, he placed eleventh in the 1500 metres race.
He won his first gold medal at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in the three miles event. That same year, he became the first New Zealander to run a four-minute mile. This means he ran one mile in under four minutes, which was a huge achievement! He was named the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year for 1958.
For the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Halberg decided to focus on longer races. He entered both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events. He won the gold medal in the 5000 metres. This was an amazing day for New Zealand, as his countryman Peter Snell also won gold in the 800 metres race on the same day. Halberg later finished fifth in the 10,000 metres race.
The next year, in 1961, Halberg set four new world records in different races. He carried the flag for New Zealand at the opening ceremonies of the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He successfully defended his three-mile title at these games. Murray Halberg finished his running career at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he came seventh in the 10,000 metres.
Helping Children with Disabilities
Sir Murray Halberg was not only a great athlete but also a kind person who wanted to help others. In 1963, he started The Halberg Trust. This organisation helps children with disabilities take part in sports, recreation, and fun activities.
In 2012, the organisation changed its name to the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation. For many years, this foundation has managed the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year Award. This award is now called the Halberg Awards. It celebrates the best sportspeople in New Zealand.
Honours and Legacy
Murray Halberg received many important awards for his achievements and his work. In 1961, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to athletics.
In 1988, he was made a Knight Bachelor. This meant he became "Sir Murray Halberg" for his work in sports and for helping children with disabilities. In 2008, he received the highest honour in New Zealand, being appointed to the Order of New Zealand.
The next month, he also received the Blake Medal. This medal is named after another famous New Zealander, Sir Peter Blake. Murray Halberg received it for more than 50 years of helping athletics and children with disabilities.
Several places have been named after Sir Murray Halberg to honour him. Halberg House at Hutt International Boys' School is named after him. Students there even earn "meter points" related to his running career. Tauranga Boys' College also has a house named after him. There is also a street called Halberg Crescent in the Hamilton suburb of Chartwell.
Sir Murray Halberg passed away in Auckland on 30 November 2022, at the age of 89.
See also
In Spanish: Murray Halberg para niños
