Official funeral for Olympian George Kerr
LATE Olympian George Kerr will get an official funeral, it was announced yesterday.
In a Jamaica House press release from Information Minister Sandrea Falconer’s office also said the service of thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, July 7 at the Hellshire United Church, Portmore, St Catherine.
Kerr, who died on June 15 in Kingston, has gained international medals in the sprints for Jamaica from 1958 to 1966. He has secured a place in history for being the first athlete for whom the Jamaican flag was raised when he won double gold in the 400 metres and 800 metres race at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games held in the brand new National Stadium in Kingston in August 1962.
He appeared in three Commonwealth Games — first for the British West Indies where he was a part of the Cardiff 1958 team that won bronze in the 4×440 relay; in Perth, Australia 1962, as part of the 4X440 relay team that captured gold.
Kerr was an Olympic bronze medallist in Rome 1960 in the 800 metres and also in the 4X400-metre relay.
