Harry Kerr (racewalker)

Henry Edward Kerr (28 January 1879 – 17 May 1951) was a New Zealand athlete who competed mainly in walking events.[1] He competed for Australasia in the 1908 Summer Olympics held in London in the 3500 metre walk where he won the bronze medal. This was the first time a New Zealand-born person had won an Olympic medal.[2][3]

Harry Kerr
Personal information
Full nameHenry Edward Kerr
Born28 January 1879
Inglewood, New Zealand
Died17 May 1951 (aged 72)
Taranaki, New Zealand
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight76 kg (168 lb)
RelativesWinston Cowie (great-grandson)
Sport
SportAthletics
Medal record
Representing  Australasia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1908 London 3500 metre walk

Biography

Kerr was born in Taranaki[2] and was a champion shooter and keen rugby player, as well as competing in a variety of track and field events.[2] Competing for a time as a professional he was required to stand down from competition for two years in order to regain his amateur status.[2] After winning numerous national titles Kerr virtually retired in 1912 and briefly served in World War I in mid-1918,[4] but returned to win two more national titles in 1925 at the age of 46.[2]

Kerr was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.[2]

On 13 July 2008 to commemorate the first Olympic Games medal by a New Zealander (actually on 14 July 1908) the Harry Kerr Centennial Walking Relay was held at Sovereign Stadium, Mairangi Bay, Auckland. Two events were held, a 5×10 km relay and a 3500 m individual event.[5][6] A shield for the winning team was presented by Kerr's daughter-in-law.[6][7][8] It is proposed that this will be an annual event.[7]

Kerr's great-grandson is New Zealand film director and rugby union player Winston Cowie.[9]

References
  1. "Harry Kerr". Olympedia. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  2. Harry Kerr Archived 11 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine. New Zealand Olympic Committee.
  3. Harry Kerr. sports-reference.com
  4. "Henry Edward Kerr". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 15 July 2022 – via Online Cenotaph.
  5. Harry Kerr Centennial Walking Relay and other news from the week. Athletics New Zealand. 14 July 2008
  6. Maddaford, Terry (12 July 2008). "Take a walk back in time to our first medal". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  7. First Olympic medal celebrated. North Shore Times. 10 July 2008
  8. Picture of Rose Sheat, Kerr's daughter-in-law, with Shield. newspix.nzherald.co.nz. 12 July 2008
  9. "Life's his best game and he plays hard". Harald on Sunday. 28 July 2012. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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