Arthur Lydiard runs his last race

Arthur Lydiard

Master athletics coach Arthur Lydiard, who produced two Olympic champions and inspired generations of New Zealanders to run, has died aged 87.

Lydiard died of a suspected heart attack today in a Texas hotel while on a lecture tour of the United States.

His mother-in-law Gloria Vanvertogt confirmed Lydiard's death in Houston.

"He was watching tv in his hotel room and took a bit of a gasp," she said.

Paramedics were called and spent an hour trying unsuccessfully to revive him.

Lydiard had been in the US since mid-October on a lecture tour.

Earlier today he'd been coaching runners in Houston before returning to his hotel about 7pm (local time).

Peter Snell and Sir Murray Halberg are his best-known proteges, but Lydiard also inspired a generation of top New Zealand runners through the late-1960s and 1970s, including Dick Tayler, Rod Dixon, Dick Quax and 1976 Olympic 1500m champion John Walker.

His influence spread beyond athletics, with coaches in sports ranging from rugby to rowing, canoeing and swimming adopting many of his training methods.

- NZPA