In early 1962, Snell lowered the world mile record by a tenth of a second at Cooks Gardens in Whanganui on and one week later set new world records for both the 800 m and at He then won gold and set a new record for 880 yd at the Commonwealth Games in Perth in 1962, and won gold for the mile at those same games. In all, Snell set five individual world records and joined fellow New Zealand athletes to set a new four by one mile relay record as well.