Seraphino Antao

Seraphino Antao (born October 30, 1937) is retired runner 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 Coastweek, January 31, 2003: [http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/SeraphinoAntao.htm Seraphino Antao - Super sprinter of the sixties] ] . He is of Asian origin (specifically Goan), from low altitude coastal city of Mombasa and was a sprinter, making him atypical Kenyan athlete.

Early career

Seraphino Antao grew up in Ganjoni and Makupa estates of Mombasa. He is a son of Diogo Manuel and Anna Maria and has six siblings. While at Goan High School he took several sports but inclined towards short distance running. In 1957 he broke the Kenyan 100 and 220 yards records b] .

He competed at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales, but without much success c] . Two years later Antao competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy, where he reached 100 metres semi finals [Sports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1960/Athletics/Men_100m.html Men 100m Olympic Games Rome 1960] ] and 200 metres second round [Sports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1960/Athletics/Men_200m.html Men 200m Olympic Games Rome 1960] ] .

Commonwealth success and later career

1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia marked the highest point of his career, when he won 100 and 220 yards gold medal. 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 The Standard, February 1, 2003: [http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/SeraphinoAntao.htm Antao put Kenya on world map] ] . The same year he won two gold medals (100 and 220 yard) at the British AAA Championships, which he attended couple of times [gbrathletics.com: [http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm AAA Championships] ] . He also won several gold medals at the East and Central African Championships [gbrathletics.com: [http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm East and Central African Championships] ] .

Kenya had gained independence in December 1963 and Antao became the first Kenyan Olympic flagbearer at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan b] , but was ill and did not perform as well as expected at the track The Standard, February 1, 2003: [http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/SeraphinoAntao.htm Winning Two Gold in Perth Most Memorable] ] . He reached 200 metres second round [Sports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1964/Athletics/Men_200m.html Men 200m Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo (JPN)] ] but was eliminated at the heats of 100 metres [Sports and Elections Statistics: [http://todor66.com/olim/1964/Athletics/Men_100m.html Men 100m Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo (JPN)] ]

After the olympics, he retired from the sport and moved to London, England where he still lives d] . In 2003 he made a rare visit to Kenya attending the 50th anniversary of Kenya Amateur Athletics Association (today Athletics Kenya) Daily Nation, January 25, 2003: [http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/25012003/Sports/Sports2501200370.html Pioneer running hero back home] ] .

References