Seraphino "Kelly" Antao (30 October 1937 – 6 September 2011) was a runner of Goan descent from Kenya. He won two events at the 1962 Commonwealth Games, making him the first Kenyan athlete to win a gold medal at an international level.
Early life and education
Seraphino Antao was born in Chandor, Goa[1] on 30 October 1937[2] 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.[3][4]
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.[2]
He was at this time a member of the Achilles Athletics Club in Mombasa,[4] where he trained under British coach[5]Ray Batchelor, who had founded the Achilles Club,[1] and remained his coach throughout his career.[2]
While working for the Landing & Shipping Company for eight years, Antao used to train on the beach at Mombasa.[4][2]
In 1957, he competed at the National Competitions in Nairobi, and there broke the national records in the 100 and 220 yards.[2][3]
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.[3]
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.[4]
Kenya gained independence in December 1963 and Antao was appointed as flagbearer, the first for an independent Kenya[4] at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. However he was ill and handed his duties as flag bearer to teammate Kipchoge Keino.[4] Antao did not perform as well as expected at the track.[3] He reached the 200 metres second round[9] but was eliminated in the heats of the 100 metres[10]
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,[11] and had a clothes stall in a market,[4] before working as an accounts assistant with Thorn EMI.[3]
In 2003 he made a rare visit to Kenya, attending the 50th anniversary of the Kenya Amateur Athletics Association (today Athletics Kenya).[12][5]
Retirement and death
Antao died on September 6, 2011, following a battle with cancer. He was buried in a grave in Lewisham.[4]
