Billy Kerr
{{short description|Irish cyclist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
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| name = Billy Kerr
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1945|2|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Ballymena, Northern Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|8|14|1945|2|26|df=yes}}
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Billy Kerr (26 February 1945 – 14 August 2012) was an Irish cyclist.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/15041 |title=Billy Kerr |work=Olympedia |access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ballymenaroadclub.co.uk/news/details/?id=1155 |title=A History of Billy Kerr |work=Ballymena Road Club |access-date=8 February 2022}} He competed in the individual road race event at the 1980 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ke/billy-kerr-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418080832/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ke/billy-kerr-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Billy Kerr Olympic Results |accessdate=7 May 2015 |work=Sports Reference}}
Biography
Kerr was born in February 1945 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. At the age of 16, Kerr was working in a local shoe factory and later joined the Ballymena Road Club. However, as a junior cyclist, Kerr initially had to give up the sport due to a back injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/sport/billy-kerr-a-cycling-legend-who-went-the-extra-mile-2369762 |title=Billy Kerr - a cycling legend who went the extra mile |work=Northern Ireland World |access-date=8 February 2022}} After successful physiotherapy, Kerr won multiple club races and national championships in the 1970s.
Kerr's took part in the road race and team pursuit events at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, his first international races. Four years later, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, Kerr was part of the team that finished in fourth place in the team time trial. He also competed at three editions of the UCI World Championships in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Kerr was part of the Irish team for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, finishing in 41st place in the individual road race.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/154446 |title=Road Race, Individual, Men |work=Olympedia |access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ritfiche.php?ritid=11342 |title=Olympic Games, Road, 1980 |work=Cycling Archives |access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ulstercyclingnews.com/?p=9765 |title=Billy Kerr R.I.P. |work=Ulster Cycling News |access-date=8 February 2022}}
In 1980, Kerr won the King of the Mountains classification in the Milk Race, and in 1982, Kerr won the Tour of Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ritfiche.php?ritid=162084 |title=Tour of Ireland 1982 |work=Cycling Archives |access-date=8 February 2022}} At the Irish National Cycling Championships, Kerr won the men's time trial in 1981, and the men's road race in 1982.{{cite web|url=https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/rest-in-peace-billy-kerr-a-legend-of-the-road-sadly-passes/ |title=Rest In Peace Billy Kerr: A 'Legend of the Road' sadly passes |work=Sticky Bottle |access-date=8 February 2022}} Kerr was also a two-time winner of the Tour of Ulster.{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ritfiche.php?ritid=114495 |title=Tour of Ulster 1981 |work=Cycling Archives |access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ritfiche.php?ritid=114493 |title=Tour of Ulster 1983 |work=Cycling Archives |access-date=8 February 2022}}
Kerr died in August 2012 following a short illness, at the age of 67.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/19281902 |title=Northern Ireland cycling in mourning as Billy Kerr dies |accessdate=7 May 2015 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/cycling-community-mourns-death-of-olympian-billy-kerr-28781699.html |title=Cycling community mourns death of Olympian Billy Kerr |work=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=8 February 2022}}
References
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External links
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Category:Olympic cyclists for Ireland
Category:Cyclists at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
Category:Cyclists at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Category:Cyclists at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
Category:Sportspeople from Ballymena