Kevin Berry
Encyclopedia
Kevin John Berry OAM
(10 April 1945 – 7 December 2006) was an Australian butterfly swimmer of the 1960s who won the gold medal in the 200 m butterfly at the 1964 Summer Olympics
in Tokyo. He set twelve world records in his career. After his swimming career ended, he became the Pictorial Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and later the head of ABC Sport
.
Berry, the second of seven children, was born in Sydney and grew up in the western suburb of Marrickville
, in a family with no prior sporting background. His father Frederick had arrived in Australia in the 1920s and had worked as a bar manager to support the family. He was taught to swim by his elder sister Colleen along with his younger siblings at Botany Bay
. His younger brother Paul was a promising youth swimmer who defeated dual Olympic gold medallist Michael Wenden
, and later became a professional rugby league
player. Berry was educated at De La Salle College
, and represented the school in athletics
and rugby league, with moderate success. Berry joined the Pyrmont Club, which trained at Victoria Park Swimming Pool, under Eric Hayes, and swum from 1956 until 1958 as a freestyler, with reasonable age group success. In 1958 he won a butterfly race, and despite winning more races, Hayes did not think that he was suited to butterfly. Berry switched coaches to Don Talbot
, training at Bankstown
by the end of the year.
In 1959, at the under-14 New South Wales
Championships, Berry came first, second and third in the breaststroke
, backstroke
and butterfly respectively. Talbot encouraged him, predicting that he would do well the following year. Berry's parents were surprised when Talbot told them at the end of the year that Berry had a chance of making the 1960 Summer Olympics
team for Rome, even though he had never entered an Australian Championship before. At the end of the year, he came second to Neville Hayes
, a fellow Talbot swimmer, defeating Harry Turner, who had been expected to be Australia's second butterflier at the Olympics.
At the New South Wales championships in January 1960, he came second to Hayes in both the 110 yd and 220 yd butterfly, and repeated this at the Australian Championships, earning himself Olympic selection at the age of 14. He was sent on a training camp with the Australian team to Townsville, Queensland
to prepare for the Olympics. Arriving in Rome, Berry swam in the heats of the 4 × 100 m medley relay, before being replaced by Hayes in the final, who combined with David Theile
, Terry Gathercole
and Geoff Shipton
to claim silver behind the United States. Under the rules of the era, heat swimmers were not entitled to medals. In the 200 m butterfly, Berry qualified fifth fastest, but came home in sixth in the final, six seconds behind the American winner Mike Troy. Hayes finished second. Troy, who was impressed by Berry, sent him an autographed postcard, implying that he could be the next Olympic champion.
In 1961 Hayes again won the State and National titles, relegating Berry to second. Berry also finished his high schooling that year, and had a disrupted preparation for an international meet at the end of the year against a Japanese team and the 1962 Commonwealth Games the following year. In the four bilateral meets at Brisbane
, Sydney, Melbourne
and Hobart
, Berry managed to beat Hayes in the last race, making a psychological breakthrough. At the following New South Wales Championships, he broke both the 220 yd and 110 yd butterfly world records, breaking Hayes' dominance. He again lowered the 220 yd record at the Australian Championships in qualifying for the Commonwealth Games. At the Games in Perth
, he set Commonwealth records in both events to record his first international victories, and then combined with Julian Carroll
, Ian O'Brien
and David Dickson
to add a third gold in the 4x110yd medley relay.
In 1963, Berry successfully defended both of his butterfly titles, and then made a European tour with the Australian team, and then successfully passed entry examinations to Indiana University
, and moved to the United States on a swimming scholarship under Doc Counsilman. He was defeated in the US Championships that year by Carl Robie
, who later captured his world records. Berry trained amongst high calibre swimmers at Indiana, as his teammates included Tom Stock, Chet Jastremski
and Ted Stickles, holders of every backstroke, breaststroke and medley
world record respectively.
In 1964, Berry returned to Australia to qualify for the 1964 Summer Olympics
, breaking world records in both the 100 m and 200 m butterfly. Due to financial difficulties, he took a job as a petrol station attendant, and washing dishes for a steakhouse. In one case, the Australian team were hosted for a reception at the steakhouse meaning that he had to prepare and clean up despite being one of the guests. Berry attended a training camp in Ayr, Queensland
under Talbot, who was the national head coach. During the week before the 200 m event in Tokyo, Berry, the favourite for the gold medal, swum an extremely slow time trial during practice, in the view of opposition swimmers, leaving doubts in Talbot's mind. Robie broke the Olympic record in both the heat and semifinal. In the final, Berry was one of only two swimmers to have had previous Olympic experience and decided to deliberately false start in order to unsettle his opponents. He then set a time of 2 m 6.6 s, 0.3 s faster than his previous world record to claim gold. He later combined with Dickson, O'Brien and Peter Reynolds
to claim bronze in the 4 × 100 m medley relay.
Berry returned to the United States, but was unable to match his previous form, and exchanged regular wins and defeats with Robie, who swam for Michigan University. He was selected for the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica
, but withdrew after his father's death and returned to Australia. He retired the following year and married, but continued his university education, initially studying business, but later switching to radio and television, and then photography. He worked as a photographer for two years in the United States before switching to the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia, where he later became the Pictorial Editor. He served as the ABC
head of sport from 1985 until 1987, before starting his own private sports business. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 1980.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(10 April 1945 – 7 December 2006) was an Australian butterfly swimmer of the 1960s who won the gold medal in the 200 m butterfly at the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in Tokyo. He set twelve world records in his career. After his swimming career ended, he became the Pictorial Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and later the head of ABC Sport
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
.
Berry, the second of seven children, was born in Sydney and grew up in the western suburb of Marrickville
Marrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, a suburb of Sydney's Inner West is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia and is the largest suburb in the Marrickville Council local government area...
, in a family with no prior sporting background. His father Frederick had arrived in Australia in the 1920s and had worked as a bar manager to support the family. He was taught to swim by his elder sister Colleen along with his younger siblings at Botany Bay
Botany Bay
Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, a few kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. The Cooks River and the Georges River are the two major tributaries that flow into the bay...
. His younger brother Paul was a promising youth swimmer who defeated dual Olympic gold medallist Michael Wenden
Michael Wenden
Michael Vincent Wenden AM MBE was a champion swimmer who represented Australia in the 1968 Summer Olympics and 1972 Summer Olympics...
, and later became a professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player. Berry was educated at De La Salle College
De La Salle College Ashfield
This article is about De La Salle College Ashfield, Sydney. For Ashfield College in Dublin, Ireland, see Ashfield College.De La Salle College is a Catholic systemic, secondary, day school for boys', located in Ashfield, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.Established in...
, and represented the school in athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
and rugby league, with moderate success. Berry joined the Pyrmont Club, which trained at Victoria Park Swimming Pool, under Eric Hayes, and swum from 1956 until 1958 as a freestyler, with reasonable age group success. In 1958 he won a butterfly race, and despite winning more races, Hayes did not think that he was suited to butterfly. Berry switched coaches to Don Talbot
Don Talbot
Don Talbot OBE is an Olympic swimming coach from Australia. He has coached national teams for Canada and Australia.-Canada:Since the 1950s Talbot has coached Olympic champions and World Record holders for a thirty year period...
, training at Bankstown
Bankstown, New South Wales
Bankstown is a suburb of south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bankstown is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Bankstown.-History:Prior to European...
by the end of the year.
In 1959, at the under-14 New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Championships, Berry came first, second and third in the breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
, backstroke
Backstroke
The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...
and butterfly respectively. Talbot encouraged him, predicting that he would do well the following year. Berry's parents were surprised when Talbot told them at the end of the year that Berry had a chance of making the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
team for Rome, even though he had never entered an Australian Championship before. At the end of the year, he came second to Neville Hayes
Neville Hayes
Neville Hayes was an Australian butterfly swimmer of the 1960s, who won two silver medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, in the 200m butterfly and the 4x100m medley relay....
, a fellow Talbot swimmer, defeating Harry Turner, who had been expected to be Australia's second butterflier at the Olympics.
At the New South Wales championships in January 1960, he came second to Hayes in both the 110 yd and 220 yd butterfly, and repeated this at the Australian Championships, earning himself Olympic selection at the age of 14. He was sent on a training camp with the Australian team to Townsville, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to prepare for the Olympics. Arriving in Rome, Berry swam in the heats of the 4 × 100 m medley relay, before being replaced by Hayes in the final, who combined with David Theile
David Theile
David Egmont Theile , was an Australian backstroke swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won consecutive gold medals in the 100 m backstroke at the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics, the only Australian to do so...
, Terry Gathercole
Terry Gathercole
Terrence Stephen Gathercole OAM , was an Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1960 Rome Olympics...
and Geoff Shipton
Geoff Shipton
Geoffrey Shipton was an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1960 Rome Olympics....
to claim silver behind the United States. Under the rules of the era, heat swimmers were not entitled to medals. In the 200 m butterfly, Berry qualified fifth fastest, but came home in sixth in the final, six seconds behind the American winner Mike Troy. Hayes finished second. Troy, who was impressed by Berry, sent him an autographed postcard, implying that he could be the next Olympic champion.
In 1961 Hayes again won the State and National titles, relegating Berry to second. Berry also finished his high schooling that year, and had a disrupted preparation for an international meet at the end of the year against a Japanese team and the 1962 Commonwealth Games the following year. In the four bilateral meets at Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Sydney, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Berry managed to beat Hayes in the last race, making a psychological breakthrough. At the following New South Wales Championships, he broke both the 220 yd and 110 yd butterfly world records, breaking Hayes' dominance. He again lowered the 220 yd record at the Australian Championships in qualifying for the Commonwealth Games. At the Games in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, he set Commonwealth records in both events to record his first international victories, and then combined with Julian Carroll
Julian Carroll
Julian Morton Carroll is a politician from the US state of Kentucky. A Democrat, he is presently a member of the Kentucky Senate, representing Anderson, Franklin, Woodford, and part of Fayette counties. From 1974 to 1979, he served as the 54th Governor of Kentucky, succeeding Wendell H. Ford, who...
, Ian O'Brien
Ian O'Brien
Ian Lovett O'Brien is a former Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1960s, who won the 200 metre breaststroke at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in world record time...
and David Dickson
David Dickson (swimmer)
David Dickson was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, who won three bronze medals in freestyle and medley relay events at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Rome and Tokyo respectively.-1960 Summer Olympics:Dickson was selected to make his international debut at...
to add a third gold in the 4x110yd medley relay.
In 1963, Berry successfully defended both of his butterfly titles, and then made a European tour with the Australian team, and then successfully passed entry examinations to Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, and moved to the United States on a swimming scholarship under Doc Counsilman. He was defeated in the US Championships that year by Carl Robie
Carl Robie
Carl Robie was an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. He won a silver medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan and one gold in 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico...
, who later captured his world records. Berry trained amongst high calibre swimmers at Indiana, as his teammates included Tom Stock, Chet Jastremski
Chet Jastremski
Chester Andrew Jastremski is a former American Olympic swimmer who won the bronze medal in the 200 meter Breaststroke at the 1964 Tokyo Games. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1977. He also swam with the Indiana Hoosiers swim team...
and Ted Stickles, holders of every backstroke, breaststroke and medley
Medley swimming
Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...
world record respectively.
In 1964, Berry returned to Australia to qualify for the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
, breaking world records in both the 100 m and 200 m butterfly. Due to financial difficulties, he took a job as a petrol station attendant, and washing dishes for a steakhouse. In one case, the Australian team were hosted for a reception at the steakhouse meaning that he had to prepare and clean up despite being one of the guests. Berry attended a training camp in Ayr, Queensland
Ayr, Queensland
Ayr is a town in Queensland, Australia near the delta of the Burdekin River, named after the Scottish town of Ayr by the settlers from the United Kingdom...
under Talbot, who was the national head coach. During the week before the 200 m event in Tokyo, Berry, the favourite for the gold medal, swum an extremely slow time trial during practice, in the view of opposition swimmers, leaving doubts in Talbot's mind. Robie broke the Olympic record in both the heat and semifinal. In the final, Berry was one of only two swimmers to have had previous Olympic experience and decided to deliberately false start in order to unsettle his opponents. He then set a time of 2 m 6.6 s, 0.3 s faster than his previous world record to claim gold. He later combined with Dickson, O'Brien and Peter Reynolds
Peter Reynolds
Peter Askin Reynolds was an Australian freestyle and medley swimmer of the 1960s, who won a bronze medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo...
to claim bronze in the 4 × 100 m medley relay.
Berry returned to the United States, but was unable to match his previous form, and exchanged regular wins and defeats with Robie, who swam for Michigan University. He was selected for the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, but withdrew after his father's death and returned to Australia. He retired the following year and married, but continued his university education, initially studying business, but later switching to radio and television, and then photography. He worked as a photographer for two years in the United States before switching to the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia, where he later became the Pictorial Editor. He served as the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
head of sport from 1985 until 1987, before starting his own private sports business. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 1980.