Name George Kerr | Role Olympic athlete | |
Born 16 October 1937 ( 1937-10-16 ) Hanover, Maryland Died June 15, 2012, Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica Olympic medals Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres | ||
George Ezekiel Kerr (16 October 1937 – 15 June 2012) was a Jamaican athlete who competed in the 400 metres and 800 metres twice making the Olympic Games final in the latter event. He was born in Hanover Parish.
He competed for the British West Indies at the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome, Italy where he won the bronze medal in the 800 metres. He then teamed up with Keith Gardner, Malcolm Spence and James Wedderburn to win the bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres.
In 1962, he became the first Jamaican athlete to have the national flag flown in recognition of winning a gold when he won double gold in the 400m and 800m at the Central American and Caribbean Games held at Kingston's National Stadium.
At the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, representing Jamaica, he finished fourth in the 800m and the 4 × 400 m relay. He broke the Olympic record for the 800m in the semi-finals but lost the bronze by less than one tenth of a second with 1:45.9, his fastest ever time.
Kerr also competed at three Commonwealth Games winning a total of five medals. At the 1958 Cardiff Games he won bronze in the 4 × 440 yards relay. He won gold medals in the 440 yards and in the 4 × 440 yards relay and silver in the 880 yards at the 1962 Games in Perth, Australia. His final medal, a bronze for the 880 yards, came at the 1966 Games in Kingston, Jamaica.
On 4 June 2012, Kerr had a heart attack and underwent heart surgery at the University Hospital of the West Indies. He remained in the intensive care unit until he succumbed to complications. He had a wife, Fay Kerr, five children, Karyn, Margaret, Roger, Candice and William Kerr and seven grand children.