Con O'Kelly
{{Short description|Irish wrestler}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox boxer
|name = Con O'Kelly
|image = 1908 Con O'Kelly.JPG
|image_size = 200px
|caption = O'Kelly in 1908
|realname = George Cornelius O'Kelly
|nickname = Con
|weight_class = Heavyweight
|weight = 220 lb
|height = 6 ft 3 in
|nationality = Irish
|birth_date = {{birth date|1886|10|29|df=y}}
|birth_place = Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland
|death_date = {{death date and age|1947|11|3|1886|10|29|df=y}}
|death_place = Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
|medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's freestyle wrestling}}
{{MedalCountry | {{flagicon|GBR}} Great Britain}}
{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}
{{MedalGold|1908 London | Heavyweight}}
|show-medals =
}}
George Cornelius "Con" O'Kelly (29 October 1886 – 3 November 1947) was an Irish sport wrestler who competed for Great Britain in the 1908 Summer Olympics, where he won a gold medal.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/58221 |title=Con O'Kelly |work=Olympedia |access-date=13 April 2021}}
Career
O'Kelly was born in County Cork, Ireland, on 29 October 1886.{{cite web|title=Con O'Kelly, Sr.|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ok/con-okelly-sr-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418042230/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ok/con-okelly-sr-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|publisher=Sports-Reference|accessdate=4 July 2012}} After he left school, he moved to Hull in England and lodged with Mr and Mrs Larvin in their home at 9 Blanket Row. On 18 September 1902, he joined the Kingston upon Hull City Police and was seconded to the local fire brigade.{{cite news|title=City copper who grappled his way to Olympic gold|url=http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/City-copper-grappled-way-Olympic-gold/story-15222958-detail/story.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505065646/http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/City-copper-grappled-way-Olympic-gold/story-15222958-detail/story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2013|accessdate=4 July 2012|newspaper=this is Hull and East Riding|date=14 February 2012}}
He was introduced to wrestling by his colleagues and entered a variety of local competitions. He volunteered to fight the Northern Counties champion, whom he promptly defeated in around three minutes. He was entered by his local wrestling club into the British Amateur Wrestling Heavyweight Championship, which he won.
In March 1908 a wall collapsed on him while he was fighting a fire at a sawmill. He recovered from damage to his back and shoulder in time for the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, where he defeated Lee Talbott, Harry Foskett and Edward Barrett in order to reach the Olympic final where he beat Jacob Gundersen for the gold medal. He was presented with his medal by Queen Alexandra, who also gave him a green oak leaf badge.
A crowd of over 12,000 greeted him on his return to Hull. He was carried to a decorated horse-drawn fire engine, which paraded the medalist around the city. He continued to wrestle after his Olympic victory, and even fought in New York City. The New York Times reported that his fight against Pat Connolly on 22 November 1909 turned into a fist fight after Connolly gouged O'Kelly's eyes and the two started trading blows, resulting in a double disqualification after 29 minutes of the bout.{{cite news|title=Irish Wrestlers Both Disqualified|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/11/23/101906071.pdf|accessdate=4 July 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=23 November 1909}} The New York Times referred to it as "the worst wrestling bout that has ever been held in this city".
Personal life
He married the daughter of his landlord in Hull, Sabina Larvin. His son, George Cornelius "Con" O'Kelly Jr., appeared for the British team as a boxer in the heavyweight category at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.{{cite web|title=Con O'Kelly, Jr.|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ok/con-okelly-jr-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418035521/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ok/con-okelly-jr-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|publisher=Sports-Reference|accessdate=4 July 2012}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions freestyle wrestling heavyweight}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okelly, Con}}
Category:Sportspeople from County Cork
Category:Irish male sport wrestlers
Category:Olympic wrestlers for Great Britain
Category:Wrestlers at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Category:British male sport wrestlers
Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain