Personal information | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Henry Edward Kerr | |||||||||||
Born | 28 January 1879 Inglewood, New Zealand | |||||||||||
Died | 17 May 1951 (aged 72) Taranaki, New Zealand | |||||||||||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||
Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | |||||||||||
Relative | Winston Cowie (great-grandson) | |||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||
Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||
Medal record
|
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]
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]
Personal information | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Henry Edward Kerr | |||||||||||
Born | 28 January 1879 Inglewood, New Zealand | |||||||||||
Died | 17 May 1951 (aged 72) Taranaki, New Zealand | |||||||||||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||
Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | |||||||||||
Relative | Winston Cowie (great-grandson) | |||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||
Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||
Medal record
|
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]
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]