Peter Norman

Australian sprinter

Born: June 15, 1942 · Died: October 3, 2006

Sports

Peter Norman — Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

Major work

Peter George Norman was an Australian track athlete.

Who was Peter Norman?

Peter George Norman (15 June 1942 – 3 October 2006) was an Australian track athlete. Norman was one of the three athletes in the 1968 Olympics protest salute photograph taken during the medal ceremony for the 200-metre event.

Historical significance

He won the silver medal in the 200 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, with a time of 20.06 seconds, which remained the Oceania 200 m record for more than 56 years. He was a five-time national 200-metre champion. He knew the salute was to occur and wore a badge of the Olympic Project for Human Rights in support of fellow athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith.

The Black Power salute by Tommie Smith (center) and John Carlos (right). Norman (left) wears an OPHR badge in solidarity with them.

Related on thisDay

How did Smith and Carlos protest during the 1968 anthem?

Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the US national anthem at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, a protest against racism…

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: How did Smith and Carlos protest during the 1968 anthem?Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Peter Norman.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/peter-norman/. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

APA

Peter Norman. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/peter-norman/

Chicago

“Peter Norman.” thisDay. Accessed October 16, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/peter-norman/.

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