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Australia is mourning the loss of a national icon.

Distance runner Ron Clarke, who set 17 world records, has died at the age of 78.

The closest he came to Olympic gold was his 10,000m bronze in 1964, but at his peak in the mid-60s Clarke redefined distance running by destroying record after record. Later, as Mayor of Gold Coast, he helped the city win the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Peter Hannan and his wife Sharon coached Australia's Olympic sprint hurdles champion, Sally Pearson, for many years. Peter spoke to Ed Harry earlier from the Hannan's home on the Gold Coast, sharing his personal memories of Ron Clarke.

(Image: Ron Clarke. Credit: Getty Images)