Born in
Eketāhuna on 7 July 1933, Halberg later moved to
Ōwairaka in
Auckland, and attended
Avondale College. He was a
rugby player in his youth, but suffered a severe injury during a game, leaving his left arm withered. The next year, he took up running, seemingly being only more motivated by his disability. In 1951, he met
Arthur Lydiard, who became his coach. Lydiard had been a famous long-distance runner, and had new ideas on the training of athletes. Three years later, Halberg broke through, winning his first national title on the senior level. At the
1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games he placed fifth in the mile. At the
1956 Olympics in
Melbourne, Australia, he placed eleventh in the 1500 metres. Halberg won the
gold medal in the three miles at the
1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and later the same year became the first sub
four-minute miler from New Zealand. He won the
New Zealand Sportsman of the Year for 1958. For the
1960 Rome Olympics, Halberg focused on the longer distances, entering in the 5000 and 10000 m. Halberg won the
5000 m gold, on the same day countryman
Peter Snell was victorious in the 800 m. Halberg later placed fifth in the
10,000 m. The following year, Halberg set four
world records in events over imperial distances. After carrying the flag at the opening ceremonies, Halberg successfully defended his
three-mile title at the
1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He closed out his running career at the
1964 Summer Olympics in
Tokyo, finishing seventh in the 10,000 m. In the
1961 New Year Honours, Halberg was appointed a
Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to athletics. In the
1988 New Year Honours, he was appointed a
Knight Bachelor, for services to sport and crippled children. In the
2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Halberg was appointed to the
Order of New Zealand. The following month he became only the fourth person to be awarded the Blake Medal, named after fellow countryman
Sir Peter Blake, for his more than 50 years' service to athletics, and to children with disabilities. and students in the house earn what are called "meter points" which relates to Sir Murray Halberg and his running career.
Tauranga Boys' College also named a house after Sir Murray Halberg. Halberg Crescent, in the
Hamilton suburb of
Chartwell, is named in Halberg's honour. == Personal life ==