Kelly tops Waterford sporting hero poll

CYCLING legend Seán Kelly has been selected as Waterford’s greatest ever sporting hero. He came out top in the poll run by Waterford radio station WLR FM in conjunction with Anglo Irish Bank.

Now aged 49 and retired from professional cycling for over 10 years, the Waterford-born cycling legend came out on top after almost 7,000 listeners voted for their Waterford sporting hero over a six-week period. Kelly finished just ahead of former inter-county hurling star Tom Cheasty and athlete Percy Kirwan.

Other Waterford sportsmen who made the top 10 included contemporary inter-county hurlers Ken McGrath and Paul Flynn; athlete and Olympic silver medallist John Treacy; boxer Neil Gough; Manchester United and Ireland soccer star John O’Shea and soccer legends Alfie Hale and Paddy Coad.

A professional cyclist for 17 years, Sean Kelly won almost every title in the sport with the exception of the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and the World Championship Road Race.

Known for his determination, versatility and consistency which saw him finish the gruelling Tour de France on 12 occasions, Kelly won the coveted green Points Jersey in the Tour four times and also won the overall title in the Vuelta Espana in 1988.

The Waterford cyclist also won the Paris-Roubaix in 1984 and in 1986, finishing third in 1985. In a remarkable decade for Irish cycling Kelly also won the Milan-San Remo twice; the Liege-Bastogne-Liege twice; the Tour of Lombardy three times; the Paris-Tours once and the Ghent-Wevelgem once.

He was made the 24th Freeman of Waterford city in 1987 and now works as a TV commentator with Eurosport as well as being a keen charity fundraiser. Sean’s name is immortalised at Sean Kelly Sports Centre and Sean Kelly Square in Carrick-on-Suir and at the Sean Kelly Cycling Academy in Merchtem near Brussels, where young Irish cyclists are given support.

Commenting on the poll, WLR FM managing director Des Whelan said it had captured the imagination of the listening public.

“The huge interest in this competition got sports fans talking and opened out a whole discussion about the merits not only of different sportspeople but also their particular sports.

“Comparing the achievements of an individual sportsman like the ultimate winner and a team player like Tom Cheasty also gave people pause for thought, as did the whole process of selecting sporting heroes from different eras.”