Billy Kerr

Billy Kerr (26 February 1945 – 14 August 2012) was an Irish cyclist.[1][2] He competed in the individual road race event at the 1980 Summer Olympics.[3]

Billy Kerr
Personal information
Born(1945-02-26)26 February 1945
Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Died14 August 2012(2012-08-14) (aged 67)

Biography

Kerr was born in February 1945 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.[1] At the age of 16, Kerr was working in a local shoe factory and later joined the Ballymena Road Club.[2] However, as a junior cyclist, Kerr initially had to give up the sport due to a back injury.[4] After successful physiotherapy, Kerr won multiple club races and national championships in the 1970s.[4]

Kerr's took part in the road race and team pursuit events at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, his first international races.[1] Four years later, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, Kerr was part of the team that finished in fourth place in the team time trial.[1] He also competed at three editions of the UCI World Championships in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[1] Kerr was part of the Irish team for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, finishing in 41st place in the individual road race.[2][5][6][7]

In 1980, Kerr won the King of the Mountains classification in the Milk Race,[2] and in 1982, Kerr won the Tour of Ireland.[1][8] At the Irish National Cycling Championships, Kerr won the men's time trial in 1981, and the men's road race in 1982.[9] Kerr was also a two-time winner of the Tour of Ulster.[10][11]

Kerr died in August 2012 following a short illness, at the age of 67.[12][13]

References
  1. "Billy Kerr". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  2. "A History of Billy Kerr". Ballymena Road Club. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  3. "Billy Kerr Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  4. "Billy Kerr - a cycling legend who went the extra mile". Northern Ireland World. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  5. "Road Race, Individual, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  6. "Olympic Games, Road, 1980". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  7. "Billy Kerr R.I.P." Ulster Cycling News. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  8. "Tour of Ireland 1982". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  9. "Rest In Peace Billy Kerr: A 'Legend of the Road' sadly passes". Sticky Bottle. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  10. "Tour of Ulster 1981". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  11. "Tour of Ulster 1983". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  12. "Northern Ireland cycling in mourning as Billy Kerr dies". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  13. "Cycling community mourns death of Olympian Billy Kerr". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
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