Harry Kerr was the first New Zealander to win an Olympic medal. Kerr won the Australasian one-mile walk title in the summer of 1907-08 and that was sufficient to gain him a place in the combined New Zealand-Australia (Australasia) team for the Olympic Games in London. He finished second in his heat of the 3500 m walk at the Games and was third in the final. He also qualified for the final of the 10-mile walk, but did not start because of injured feet. Kerr won national titles over one and three miles in 1911, won the mile again in 1912 and was Australasian champion over both distances in 1909. Service in World War I interrupted Kerr’s career but he reappeared in the national championships in 1925, at the age of 46, again winning the one and three-mile titles.
Australasia
New Zealand