Biography.guide
Home › People › Long-distance runner › Billy Savidan
Portrait of Billy Savidan

Billy Savidan

1902 – 1991

New Zealand long-distance runner

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Billy Savidan

Lived 1902 – 1991 (aged 89). Billy Savidan was a New Zealand long-distance runner.

John William Savidan (23 May 1902 – 8 November 1991), nicknamed "Billy", "Bill" or "Jack" and born in Auckland, was a New Zealand long distance runner from 1926.

At the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario he won the six mile race with a time of 30:49.6 mins, despite stopping over the finish line after what he thought was the last lap and being told that there was a lap to go. The official had inadvertently turned over two discs instead of one. He beat Ernie Harper from England. In the three mile race (equivalent to 5000 metres) he did not finish.

At the 1932 Summer Olympics at Los Angeles he finished fourth in both the 5000 metre event and the 10000 metre competition.

He did not compete in the national championships in 1935 and 1936 as he was working as a stonemason and could not spend the necessary time training, but competed against two Japanese runners who were visiting New Zealand in 1937. Like Malcolm Champion before him he was then for some years Custodian at Auckland's Tepid Baths.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Also known as
John Savidan, John William Savidan

People in Billy Savidan's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Billy Savidan's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Billy Savidan?

New Zealand long-distance runner

When was Billy Savidan born?

Billy Savidan was born on 23 May 1902 in Auckland.

When did Billy Savidan die?

Billy Savidan died on 8 November 1991.

What was Billy Savidan's occupation?

Billy Savidan was a long-distance runner.

What nationality was Billy Savidan?

Billy Savidan was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Billy Savidan

· Wikidata: Q4913283

· DBpedia: Billy Savidan

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Billy Savidan. https://biography.guide/billy-savidan/

MLA: "Billy Savidan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/billy-savidan/.

Chicago: "Billy Savidan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/billy-savidan/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:06 UTC