John B. Kelly Sr, the 1924 Paris Games rowing champion, was honoured by World Rowing in a ceremony attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Kelly family, and the President of the International Olympic Committee.
The event took place at the Paris 2024 Games site in Vaires-sur-Marne, marking the centennial of Kelly’s victory. Jean-Christophe Rolland, President of World Rowing, and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, lauded Kelly as “a man, a rower, a legend,” emphasizing his lasting impact on the sport and the Olympic family, which includes his son, John B. Kelly Jr., a 1956 Olympic bronze medalist, and Prince Albert II, a Winter Olympian.
Prince Albert II expressed his deep emotions, recalling his grandfather’s legacy and the enduring values of the Olympics. “My maternal grandfather was an extraordinary athlete with a beautiful vision of the world through sport. We were very happy to pay tribute to him,” he said after presenting the medals for the men’s double sculls event.
