Tom Kiely

Thomas "Tom" Francis Kiely (August 25, 1869 – November 6, 1951) was an Irish athlete who competed mainly in the decathlon event.

He competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri in the decathlon which consisted of 100 y run, shot put, high jump, 880 y walk, hammer throw, pole vault, 120 y hurdles, 56 pounds weight throw, long jump and 1 mile run, where he won the Gold medal.

The outstanding Irish-born personality of the early years of the Olympic Games was Tom Kiely, who won the all-round Championship, the forerunner of the Modern Decathlon, at the Games in St. Louis in 1904.

Tom was thirty-four years old at this time. The British team had approached him with promises of his fare and expenses, and American sponsorship was also offered but, as a committed nationalist, he decided to go on his own, representing his native country. He raised the fare partly by selling many of the prizes he had won over the years and sailed for the States at the end of May.

In America he had several more offers to join the American or British teams. But again he declined and made it clear in statements carried in all the American papers of the time that he would represent only Ireland in the Olympic Games. As Ireland was not independent in 1904 the IOC still lists him as representative of the team of Great Britain and Ireland at the 1904 Summer Olympics.

Tom Kiely hailed from Ballyneale just outside Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary and achieved his gold in 1904 becoming the first Olympic multi-event track champion for 16 centuries. Tom Kiely's win in the Decathlon, then known as the "All-Around Championship" was noteworthy as all ten events were held on the same day.

The events were:
* 100yds
* Shot Putt
* High Jump
* 800yard walk
* Hammer
* Pole Vault
* 120yards Hurdles
* 56lbs Weight Throw
* Long Jump
* Mile

External links

* [http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=KIELYTOM01 profile]
* [http://www.ict.mic.ul.ie/websites/2002/Margaret_OShea/page3.htm Tom Kiely's early career]