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Billy Savidan
Inducted in 1996
New Zealand had some great runners in the 20s and 30s — Lovelock pre-eminent, Randolph Rose, Cecil Matthews and Savidan.
Sporting Category:
  • Athletics
At the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Savidan was fourth in both the 5000 and 10,000 metres, significant feats in themselves but he was best known for winning the six miles at the inaugural Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1930.

It was more the manner of his win than the fact of it. He raced away from the field and appeared to win comfortably, only to be told when he’d stopped that there was still a lap to run.

An Englishman, Ernest Harper, was closing rapidly when Savidan re-entered the race. “From one of my easiest races it turned into my hardest,” he said.

He held off Harper on the final lap and staggered to the dressing room. “I saw black and collapsed for the first time in my life.”

Sporting Spotlight

Sir Donald Rowlands

(1926 - 2015)

Don Rowlands had at least two careers in the sport he graced: one as a top-level competitor and the other as an administrator and organiser without peer.
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New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame
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Otago
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