Peter Norman

Date of Birth: June 15, 1942

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: October 3, 2006

Biography

Peter George Norman was an Australian track athlete born on June 15, 1942, in Coburg, Victoria, Australia. He is best known for his silver medal in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where he stood in solidarity with African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their famous Black Power salute on the podium. Norman’s time of 20.06 seconds in the 200 meters remains the Australian record. Norman grew up in a working-class family and showed an early talent for sports, particularly in sprinting. He joined the East Melbourne Harriers and went on to compete at the national level, eventually representing Australia at the 1968 Olympics. Despite his significant athletic achievements, Norman faced considerable backlash upon returning to Australia due to his support for Smith and Carlos’s civil rights gesture. This affected his athletic career, and he was not selected for the 1972 Olympics despite having qualifying times. Norman continued to work in various jobs, including as a teacher and a butcher, while remaining active in sports through coaching and mentoring young athletes. He passed away on October 3, 2006, of a heart attack at the age of 64.

5 Interesting Facts about Peter Norman

1. Peter Norman’s 200-meter sprint time of 20.06 seconds set during the 1968 Olympics remains an Australian record.

2. He wore a human rights badge on the podium to show his support for Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s protest.

3. Norman was not selected for the 1972 Olympics despite qualifying times, likely due to his support for the civil rights movement.

4. In recognition of his support, Tommie Smith and John Carlos served as pallbearers at Norman’s funeral.

5. Peter Norman was posthumously awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and inducted into the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame in 2018.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Peter Norman

1. “I’ll stand with you.”

2. “We knew that what we were doing was right.”

3. “I couldn’t see why I should be expected to apologize for standing up for human rights.”

4. “I believe that every man is born equal and should be treated that way.”

5. “You can’t cry about being blacklisted. You have to stand up for what you believe in.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Peter Norman’s net worth was never publicly documented, but he did not achieve significant financial wealth; his legacy is more in his moral and athletic contributions.