Halberg wins the 5000m final at the Rome Olympics in 1960
Sir Murray Gordon Halberg ONZ MBE (7 July 1933 - 30 November 2022)
Sir Murray Halberg, Olympic champion who found strength in adversity
Halberg was the first New Zealander to break the four-minute barrier for the one mile, in Dublin in 1958 in a time of 3min 57.5s.
World record: one mile, two miles, three miles, four miles, and the four by one mile relay.
Gold medal: 5000 metres event at the 1960 Olympics
Gold medal: 3 miles events at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games
He suffered a terrible rugby injury aged 17 that left him close to death, and eventually with a withered left arm, and being naturally left-handed having to learn to write with his right. A runner’s arms are so important to their balance and such an asset in generating speed, yet Halberg’s curled-up left arm and wrist hanging limply were of limited value.
He found his calling with his founding in 1963 of the Halberg Trust for Crippled Children, which became the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation. One of its arms is the New Zealand Sports Awards, which Halberg relaunched. He remained part of the foundation, raising millions of dollars for charity. He received an MBE in 1961, and was knighted in 1988 for his services to sport and the community.
"For more than 50 years I have witnessed first-hand how sport can be a stepping stone to enhance the lives of disabled people. I've seen how sport can provide health benefits, new skills, social networks, confidence and ambition that can be transferred into many other parts of their lives."