(ATR) Kevin Berry, 1964 butterfly gold medalist for Australia has died in Sydney after a long illness. He was 15 when he was selected to swim at the 1960 Olympics, making Berry one of youngest competitors ever for Australia at the Games.
He was part of a generation of Australian swimmers that included Dawn Fraser, Murray Rose and John Devitt.
Along with the gold in 1960, he won a bronze medal in the 4X100m medley relay.
"It was only after I received the gold medal on the dais that it sank in that I was an Olympic champion. I can't put into words to describe how I felt," Berry is quoted about the experience in a tribute by the Australian Olympic Committtee.
At the 1962 Commonwealth Games Berry won three gold medals. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1980.
Berry said one of his most memorable experiences in his career came when he met Pope John XXIII during the trip to the Rome Olympics. Berry, from a big Catholic family, would laugh as he talked about meeting the Pope and naively offering to teach the head of the Church to swim.
"There's a tremendous amount of pressure at Olympic Games level, but my faith allowed me to cope and gave me an edge over my opponents," Berry is quoted in the AOC tribute.
After his competitive career, Berry picked up a camera and became a photojournalist for the Sydney Morning Herald and sports chief ABC TV.
Berry provided his expertise to broadcasters in Australia as a commentator during the time of the Sydney Olympics. He also wrote an entertaining series of fast facts about the Olympics timed for his hometown Games titled 2000 Things You Didn"t Know About the Olympic Games.
Berry also wrote briefly for Around the Rings from Sydney.
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