Seraphino Antao

Seraphino Antao was born in Chandor, Goa{{cite web | title=Goan Voice Newsletter: Tuesday 23 Oct. 2018: Ray Batchelor: The Sultan of sport (22 Oct.)|first=Cyprian |last=Fernandes |author-link=Cyprian Fernandes | website= The Goan Voice| date=23 October 2018 | url=http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/printerfile.php?link=2018-10-23 | access-date=3 January 2024}} on 30 October 1937{{cite web | title=Greatest Goan sprinter: Seraphino Antao | website=The Goan EveryDay | date=21 July 2023 | url=https://www.thegoan.net/global-goenkar/goan-sports-icons-from-east-africa-greatest-goan-sprinter-seraphino-antao/101695.html | access-date=3 January 2024}} and grew up in Mombasa. He was the son of Diego Manuel and Anna Maria, and had six siblings. He was of Asian origin, and had several athletes in his family.{{cite web | title=Supplement on Seraphino Antao | website=Goan Voice UK | date=25 January 2003 | url=http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/SeraphinoAntao.htm | access-date=3 January 2024}}

While at Goan High School (now Mombasa High School) he took several sports, and was a good footballer. After being spotted by an athletics coach, he took part a local athletic event, where, running barefoot, his sprint times were only just short of national records.

In 1956, Seraphino entered an athletics carnival run by the Landing & Shipping Company (agents for East African Railways and Harbours Corporation) and won the sprint events.{{cite web | title=3. Seraphino Antao|first=Cyprian |last=Fernandes |author-link=Cyprian Fernandes | website=Issuu | date=30 January 2021 | url=https://issuu.com/skipfernandes/docs/stars_next_door_book/s/11653624 | access-date=3 January 2024}}

He was at this time a member of the Achilles Athletics Club in Mombasa, where he trained under British coach{{cite web | title=The Goan Gazelle: Olympian Seraphino Antao | website=ItsGoa | date=6 August 2016 | url=https://itsgoa.com/goan-gazelle-olympian-seraphino-antao | access-date=3 January 2024}} Ray Batchelor, who had founded the Achilles Club, and remained his coach throughout his career.

While working for the Landing & Shipping Company for eight years, Antao used to train on the beach at Mombasa.

In 1957, he competed at the National Competitions in Nairobi, and there broke the national records in the 100 and 220 yards.

He was nicknamed "Kelly" for his entire life.

Antao competed at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales, but without much success. Two years later Antao competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, where he reached the 100 metres semi finalsSports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1960/Athletics/Men_100m.html Men 100m Olympic Games Rome 1960] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207114039/http://www.todor66.com/olim/1960/Athletics/Men_100m.html |date=2016-02-07 }} and 200 metres second round.Sports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1960/Athletics/Men_200m.html Men 200m Olympic Games Rome 1960] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721235852/http://todor66.com/olim/1960/Athletics/Men_200m.html |date=2011-07-21 }}

The 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, marked the highest point of his career, when he won 100 and 220 yards gold medals. This made him the first Kenyan athlete to win a gold medal at an international level. He was also member of the Kenyan 4 x 440 yards relay team which finished fifth. Other members of the relay team were Wilson Kiprugut, Kimaru Songok and Peter Francis.

Also in 1962 he won two gold medals (100 and 220 yard) at the British 1962 AAA Championships, which he attended three times.{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=4 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=4 May 2025}} He also won several gold medals at the East and Central African Championships.{{cite web | title=AAA Championships (Men) | website=gbrathletics.com | url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm | access-date=3 January 2024}}

Antao trained hard in Kenya and did well in Europe in the lead-up to the 1964 Summer Olympics, winning at White City in London as well as in Czechoslovakia, Poland, Sweden, and other countries.

Kenya gained independence in December 1963 and Antao was appointed as flagbearer, the first for an independent Kenya at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. However he was ill and handed his duties as flag bearer to teammate Kipchoge Keino. Antao did not perform as well as expected at the track. He reached the 200 metres second roundSports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1964/Athletics/Men_200m.html Men 200m Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo (JPN)] but was eliminated in the heats of the 100 metresSports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1964/Athletics/Men_100m.html Men 100m Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo (JPN)]

In 1965, Antao was awarded the Helms World Trophy for the Asian continent.

In 1965, Antao retired from sport and, after giving some consideration to moving to Melbourne, Australia, moved to London, England. He took a coaching course at Loughborough College, owned a boutique in Kensington,{{cite web | title=Pioneer in Kenya's athletics Seraphino Antao, a champion | website=The East African | date=6 September 2008 | url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/pioneer-in-kenya-s-athletics-seraphino-antao-a-champion-1291980 | access-date=3 January 2024}} and had a clothes stall in a market, before working as an accounts assistant with Thorn EMI.

In 2003 he made a rare visit to Kenya, attending the 50th anniversary of the Kenya Amateur Athletics Association (today Athletics Kenya).{{cite web| website=Daily Nation| date=January 25, 2003| url=http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/25012003/Sports/Sports2501200370.html |title=Pioneer running hero back home|first=Peter|last= Njenga| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030410065700/http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/25012003/Sports/Sports2501200370.html| archive-date= 10 April 2003}}

Antao died on September 6, 2011, following a battle with cancer. He was buried in a grave in Lewisham.

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• [https://allafrica.com/stories/200809080307.html Pioneer in Athletics Seraphino Antao: a Champion] (6 September 2008; subscription only for full story)

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Category:1937 births

Category:Kenyan people of Indian descent

Category:Sportspeople of Indian descent

Category:2011 deaths

Category:Sportspeople from Mombasa

Category:Kenyan male sprinters

Category:Olympic athletes for Kenya

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics

Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Kenya

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Category:Kenyan people of Goan descent

Category:Medallists at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Category:20th-century Kenyan sportsmen