George Ezekiel Kerr (16 October 1937 – 15 June 2012) was a Jamaican athlete who competed in the 400 and 800 metres. He competed for the British West Indies at the 1960 Summer Olympics, 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 4×400 metres relay.
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 400 m and 800 m at the Central American and Caribbean Games held at Kingston's National Stadium. At the 1964 Olympics, representing Jamaica, he finished fourth both in the 800 m and the 4 × 400 m relay. He broke the Olympic record for the 800 m 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 won five medals at three Commonwealth Games. In 1958 he won a 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 in 1962. His final medal, a bronze for the 880 yards, came in 1966 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Kerr won the British AAA Championships title in the 880 yards event at the 1961 AAA Championships.
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 and seven grandchildren.
International competitions Representing 1956Olympic GamesMelbourne, Australia14th (qf)400 m47.798th (h)4 × 400 m relay3:11.011957British West Indies ChampionshipsKingston, Jamaica3rd400 m47.71st800 m1:50.51st4 × 400 m relay3:14.01958British Empire and Commonwealth GamesCardiff, United Kingdom10th (sf)440 y48.43rd4 × 440 y relay3:10.081959British West Indies ChampionshipsGeorgetown, British Guiana1st400 m46.81st800 m1:53.61st4 × 400 m relay3:09.5Pan American Games2Chicago, United States1st400 m46.12nd800 m1:49.41st4 × 400 m relay3:05.31960British West Indies ChampionshipsKingston, Jamaica2nd400 m46.81st800 m1:49.8Olympic Games2Tokyo, Japan3rd800 m1:47.253rd4 × 400 m relay3:04.131962Central American and Caribbean GamesKingston, Jamaica1st400 m45.91st800 m1:51.01st4 × 400 m relay3:11.6British Empire and Commonwealth GamesPerth, Australia1st440 y46.72nd880 y1:47.81st4 × 440 y relay3:10.21964British West Indies ChampionshipsKingston, Jamaica1st1500 m3:52.6Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan4th800 m1:45.94th4 × 400 m relay3:02.31965British West Indies ChampionshipsBridgetown, Barbados3rd5000 m16:00.81966Central American and Caribbean GamesSan Juan, Puerto Rico1st (h)800 m1:53.037th5000 mNTBritish Empire and Commonwealth GamesKingston, Jamaica3rd880 y1:47.24th4 × 440 y relay3:06.8 1Disqualified in the final 2Representing British West Indies 3Did not finish in the final
References
External links Commonwealth Games results at GBRathletics.com