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]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 February 1945 Ballymena, Northern Ireland |
| Died | 14 August 2012 (aged 67) |
Biography
editKerr 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
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Billy Kerr". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d "A History of Billy Kerr". Ballymena Road Club. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Billy Kerr Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Billy Kerr - a cycling legend who went the extra mile". Northern Ireland World. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Road Race, Individual, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Olympic Games, Road, 1980". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Billy Kerr R.I.P." Ulster Cycling News. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Tour of Ireland 1982". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Rest In Peace Billy Kerr: A 'Legend of the Road' sadly passes". Sticky Bottle. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Tour of Ulster 1981". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Tour of Ulster 1983". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Northern Ireland cycling in mourning as Billy Kerr dies". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ^ "Cycling community mourns death of Olympian Billy Kerr". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
External links
edit- Billy Kerr at Cycling Archives (archived)
- Billy Kerr at ProCyclingStats
- Billy Kerr at Olympedia
