Kerry O’Brien
Athletics
Inducted in 2014
Kerry represented Australia at the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games and the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games. He was the World Record holder in the Men’s 3000 metres steeplechase from 1970 to 1972 and in the 1970 World Track and Field Grand Prix season he dominated the competition winning 15 of the 16 races culminating in a World Record in West Berlin. Such was his dominance he was awarded the Track Athlete of the Year as well as the Helms Award for most outstanding Australasian Athlete that Year.
Kerry’s second World Record was the 2 mile indoor world record, won in San Diego in 1971. He ran the fastest indoor and outdoor time – 8 minutes 19.2 seconds. He also won the Gold Medal for the 3000m steeplechase and the inaugural Pan Pacific Games in Tokyo in 1969, and won Gold again at the same event 4 years later, at the second Pan Pacific games in 1973. This was a big event and included competitors from USA and Canada.
He retired in 1973 with nine Australian Championships to his credit including one cross country title, one 5000 metres title and seven steeplechase championships.