“IRELAND in athletics can hold its own with all nations,” according to one Olympic gold medalist, speaking to the Fermanagh Herald.
Robert Kerr was not speaking of the country’s phenomenal success in Paris this year, though, nor was he even talking this century. The Enniskillen-born runner was speaking to this paper way back in 1909, one year after he won gold in the 200m and bronze in the 100m at the London Olympic Games of 1908.
Mr Kerr, who was known as Bobby, and his family left Fermanagh when he was five-years-old and settled in Ontario, Canada.
A fireman by profession, he was also a keen runner, and he saved up to travel to Saint Louis in Missouri to compete in the 1904 Olympics. While he didn’t enjoy much success at the US games, over the next four years he would continue to improve, setting Canadian records over various distances.
In 1908 Mr Kerr travelled back across ‘The Pond’ to compete in the London Olympics, proving a crowd favourite, and picking up gold and bronze in the 200m and 100m for his adopted Canada.
Writing on the fascinating blog Cunningham’s Way in 2012 – the year the games returned to London – local historian John Cunningham looked back at the ‘Herald interview with Mr Kerr from 1909, which was carried out when the runner returned to his home town for a visit.
Noting the “massive sponsorship for top athletes, mutterings of undetectable doping, special diets and general hyperbole” of the modern games, Mr Cunningham said it was “refreshing to read of the quiet man from Enniskillen who won both gold and bronze.”
Mr Cunningham added the ‘Herald interview had shown “his quiet manner” and that his “method of training shows a true Olympian spirit and a huge contrast to today.”
According to the article Mr Cunningham was referring to, which was published on July 24 1909, Mr Kerr had been in Enniskillen after winning two races, representing Ireland, at an international athletic meet in Dublin the previous Saturday.
It stated the interview was carried out by a journalist “in the pleasant home of Mr Henry Howe, Drumawill, a distance of some two miles from the Island town,” adding that Mr Howe was “a prize-winner on an extensive scale in cattle at our various agricultural shows.”
Outlining Mr Kerr’s various athletic achievements, the article stated, “As to training, he says he never goes through any real hard work.
“He dons his racing ‘togs’ and goes out three times a week and practices starts and finishes, while once a week he completes the distances. Unlike many of our athletes, Mr Kerr does not believe in any special diet while training.”
Mr Kerr then when on to speak of how he hoped to take part in more races in Ireland, stating he was pleased with the reaction of the Irish crowd and fellow competitors.
He also lamented the lack of Irish representation at the London games the previous year. Mr Kerr told the journalist he believed Ireland “in athletics can hold its own with all nations.”
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